


For the Future, Cherish the Past

by Interstella



Series: Nexis [4]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: M/M, Nexis, Sequel, WIP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-07-11 18:14:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 67,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15977753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interstella/pseuds/Interstella
Summary: Sequel to To the Morrow, For the Past.He was getting really sick of the Planet randomly pulling him through time for one mission or another. But at least this time he had Sephiroth with him.WIP





	1. Welcome home, Cloud

The migraine hit him all at once, the familiar pain no longer bringing fear only irritation. The planet wanted something of him, again, and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. He fell to his knees, grasping his head in his hands, swallowing a cry of pain. He felt a cool hand press against the back of his neck in comfort before the world tilted.

He was being pulled again, this time in what felt like all directions at once. The hand on his back moved to his shoulder, holding him steady as he swayed, unable to keep his balance. The other was speaking, but he couldn't hear the words over the blood rushing through his ears.

And then, as suddenly as it began, the pain stopped.

Cloud finally let out a groan as he opened his eyes. He was in an alleyway. Above him he could see sky through the dust that had been kicked up around them. He sighed, irritated. The planet had teleported him again. Probably to yet another timeline.

“What just happened?”

At least this time he wasn't alone. Beside him, Sephiroth stood, dusting dirt from his slacks. They had been at home, sitting on the couch and watching the chocobo races when his migraine had hit, so neither of them were dressed in their combat gear. Or were armed.

That was another thing to add to the irritation that was building up in Cloud. At least the other two times he'd taken a trip through time he'd at least been able to take his weapon.

“The planet decided that we needed to be somewhere else.” He grumbled, answering Sephiroth's question. “And didn't want to give us a chance to say no.”

He looked around, taking in more of his surroundings. The architecture was familiar, but Cloud wasn't entirely sure where they were. Beside him, against one wall was a small collection of rubbish, on the top was a hat and a scarf. He retrieved the items, and handed them to Sephiroth.

The man just held them with a raised eyebrow and Cloud sighed again.

“We don't know what timeline we're in.” He told him, still picking through the trash, “And in every timeline I've been in so far, you've been famous for one thing or another. Aha!” Behind the trash pile was some treasure. First Tsurugi and Masamune lay covered in debris. He retrieved them and turned, somehow managing to keep himself from laughing at the sight before him.

Sephiroth had put the garments on, and was now giving Cloud a very upset look. His arms were crossed over his white shirt and his eye were narrowed at his partner. “I look ridiculous.” He complained, and Cloud couldn't keep his laughter in any more.

“Here...” He handed the man Masamune and leaned First Tsurugi against the alley wall before reaching up to fix Sephiroth's hat. “The whole point in this is to hide your hair.” He told him. He looked at the scarf in his hands and wrapped that around Sephiroth's neck. “And this is to hide some of your face.” He finished and stepped back to admire his handwork. “Man, you look like Vincent.” He commented before picking up his blade. “C'mon. Let's find out where we are.”

“ _When_ , you mean.”

Cloud just shrugged and picked a direction out of the alleyway. As soon as he entered the main street he stopped dead, Sephiroth almost walking into him.

“What?” The silver haired man asked, peering down at Cloud in confusion and concern.

“This is...”

In front of him stood a monument to Meteorfall. He looked around and recognised the city, it had been his home for a long time and he knew the place well, even if it had changed quite a bit. It was still instantly recognisable.

Edge.

“Cloud?”

“This way.” Cloud turned on his heal and marched off, knowing where he was going. He didn't stop walking until he reached the wooden door and froze. “Let me do the talking.” He told Sephiroth, “Don't say anything if you can help it.” With that, he took a deep breath and opened the door to the bar.

“We're closed!” Came the familiar voice from inside, and Cloud willed his heart to beat at a normal rate.

“Would you like me to come back later?” He asked, taking a hesitant step inside. Behind him, he was aware that Sephiroth was following his lead.

The woman behind the bar paused as she reached to put a glass on a shelf and slowly turned around. Her eyes widened as she looked at Cloud. “Cloud...?” She asked, putting the glass down slowly and taking a few steps from around the bar.

“Sorry I took so long...” Cloud had no idea what to say, so he fell back into old habits. Habits from before he'd been sucked into another time, habits from before he'd brought home Zeke. This was a habit from before he'd settled down, when he would come and go from the bar at his will and stay only as long as he wanted to.

“Where have you been!?” The woman was more animated now, she marched up to him, her long dark hair flowing behind her erratically with the movement. “Do you know how worried we've been about you!? Five years you've been gone! We thought you were dead!”

It was her. It was really her. He was really here, in 7th Heaven. In his timeline. He was- Without thinking, he stepped forward, pulling Tifa into a long, tight embrace. “I'm sorry.” He told her, “I didn't mean to worry you...”

“Cloud...?” Tifa's arms went around him and held him back. “You're really you?”

Cloud couldn't help the small laugh at that. If he'd had a Gil for every time he'd been asked that... He stepped back out of the hug and took her hand, placing it on his heart. “I'm me. I'm real. I'm here. I'm alive.” He told her, a smile twitching at his lips. “I don't know how. I don't know why, but I'm here.”

Tifa just stared at him for a moment, a small smile slowly spreading on her lips. “How are you back?” She asked.

Cloud could sense Sephiroth moving further into the bar, closing the door behind him. He sat at a table and waited.

“I don't know.” Cloud answered Tifa with a small hug, also moving to sit down. He sat at the bar and Tifa returned to cleaning up behind it. After a moment, a mug was placed in front of him and he took a deep breath, savouring the smell of the special coffee he hadn't had for far too long.

“Does your friend want one too?” Tifa asked, peering around Cloud to look at Sephiroth.

Cloud was glad that the man was wearing a disguise, and keeping his head down. He had no idea what Tifa's reaction would be to seeing an adult Sephiroth in her bar. Cloud gestured for Sephiroth to join them.

Without waiting for an answer, Tifa placed a mug in front of Sephiroth. “If you're not enhanced, don't drink it.” She warned before turning back around and grabbing another glass to polish.

Sephiroth took a sip and grimaced, putting the coffee back down. Cloud snickered and drank his own. After years of drinking the coffee that Sephiroth preferred, he could really taste the bitterness in this brew. Maybe it had been too long, but now it was a little _too_ bitter for him. He reached over the counter and retrieved some sugar packets, handing a few to Sephiroth.

“So where have you been?” Tifa asked eventually, turning around and frowning as Cloud dumped sugar into his drink.

“Alternate timeline.” Cloud told her, stirring and taking another sip. That was better. “Jenova's people were coming, and the Planet needed help.”

Tifa watched him for a moment before giving a small nod. “Is that where he's from?” She asked, gesturing to Sephiroth. Cloud nodded. “Good.” Tifa continued, “Because I'd have to beat the hell out of you if he was the Sephiroth from this timeline.”

Cloud felt Sephiroth stiffen beside him and he chuckled. He should have known that Tifa would see right though the flimsy disguise. After a moment, Sephiroth reached up and took the hat and scarf off, seemingly relieved.

“It's a pleasure to meet you.” Sephiroth said slowly, “Tifa, I presume?”

Tifa nodded, staring at him for a moment. Cloud could tell that she was fighting the urge to charge and he appreciated that she was able to stop herself.

“He's no more the man who called Meteor than Zack.” Cloud told her. Saying his son's name was still difficult, but he was able to do it now without shutting down.

Tifa nodded, “I know....”

“I think it took Cloud a month to get over the urge to kill me...” Sephiroth told her, an understanding smile on his face. “Though I'm not entirely sure his poisoning attempt last year wasn't intentional.”

Cloud rolled his eyes and smacked Sephiroth on the shoulder. “I told you I can't cook.” He muttered and was glad when he saw a smile flicker on Tifa's face.

“I'm going to have to call the others.” She told Cloud. “They'll want to see you. Where's Zack?”

Silence fell for a moment, and Cloud had to look away. He felt his throat tightening and he couldn't seem to form words.

“He-” No. He couldn't say it. Thinking about the boy, saying his name was one thing. But saying it out loud... He couldn't do it. He felt Sephiroth's hand on his back and took comfort in it.

“He gave his life to save my world.” Sephiroth told her quietly and Cloud was glad that he was strong enough to be able to say it. To tell her. She deserved to know.

Cloud looked up in time to see Tifa pale and slump forward slightly. Her eyes were wide and bright, and it looked like the bench of the bar was the only thing keeping her upright. She took one deep breath, then another.

Sephiroth stood from his chair and moved behind the bar. He took a glass and filled it with water, gently putting it into Tifa's hand and guiding her to a seat. He knelt down in front of her and looked up. “I wasn't fast enough to stop him.” He said quietly, “I'm sorry.”

Apparently that was enough. After a few more short breaths, Tifa buried her head in her hands and let out a sob. It only took a second for Cloud to be beside her, his arm around her and her head on his shoulder. He wanted to say something, to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but there was nothing to say. It wouldn't be okay.

After a moment, Sephiroth stood. He placed a gentle hand on Cloud's shoulder as he made his way behind the bar and began to polish the glasses that Tifa had started on. He needed to keep himself busy.

“I'm sorry, Tifa.” Cloud whispered to his long time friend, feeling the familiar numbness spread over him. It was easier not to feel anything than to give in to the despair and hopelessness that he'd felt so strongly he'd slept for two years.

Tifa nodded against his shoulder, holding on to him for a little longer before leaning back. She looked at the water on the table beside her and wiped away her tears. She took a sip from the glass, her hands shaking. When she looked back up at Cloud, she noticed Sephiroth behind him. “What is he doing?” She asked quietly.

Cloud turned to look briefly before turning back to Tifa. “When his emotions get to be too much, he likes to keep himself busy.” He told her, “Doing something with his hands helps him process.”

“So he knew Zack?” She asked, slowly bringing her knees up to hug them.

Cloud nodded, “Yeah. I was... away for a while... Sephiroth took care of him. Made sure he was looked after.”

Tifa nodded slowly. “Is he a good man?”

She needed reassurance, Cloud realised, that this Sephiroth wasn't going to turn into the man she had spent so long fighting. “Yeah.” He told her, a soft smile on his face. “One of the best that I know.”

– – – – – – –

Tifa had called the rest of AVALANCHE, letting them know that Cloud was home, and that he'd brought home yet another Sephiroth. Cloud had rolled his eyes at the way she had put it, but didn't object. It was true, after all.

While she'd been on the phone, Cloud had moved behind the bar and was setting it up for the evening. Years of practice made it almost instinctual and he didn't take long to remember everything he had to do. He showed Sephiroth how to set up and with his help they were done before Tifa came back from the phone call.

She looked at them both and blinked before reaching for a cloth. She dumped it in Sephiroth's hands and instructed him to wipe down the tables. After a pause, the man did as he was told. Cloud just smirked.

Until Tifa handed him a broom and pointed to the door.

“You both best make yourselves useful.” She told them. Cloud followed instructions without protest, still smirking at the bewildered look on Sephiroth's face.

After they had done their assigned tasks, Tifa came out of the back with a plate of sandwiches and placed them on a table. “Eat.” She ordered before disappearing out back again. Once again, Cloud followed her orders without thinking, and gestured for Sephiroth to do the same.

“I thought you said that you were the leader.” Sephiroth commented, taking a seat and picking up a sandwich.

Cloud chuckled, “Yeah. When it comes to battle tactics and plans.” He answered, “Tifa's like... the mother of our group. Do as you're told and don't piss her off.”

After a moment, Tifa joined them. She picked up a sandwich but didn't eat, instead just looked at them expectantly. Cloud ignored her for a moment, deciding that he really should eat. Once again, time travel made it a little difficult to know exactly when he'd eaten last, but it had been several hours at least.

“Right. Why are you dressed like that?” Tifa asked, looking at Cloud. He was wearing a white T-shirt and sweatpants with nothing more than slippers on his feet. Sephiroth was wearing a similar outfit.

Cloud shrugged, “Downtime.” He told her, “It was evening when we were pulled through time.”

“Downtime...” She was staring at his chest, and Cloud looked down. Ah.

Not long after Sephiroth had taken over Shinra, there had been a policy change. There had been some attacks by Shinra Loyalists and a lot of good men had been killed in ways that made it difficult to identify the bodies, so every member of the New Shinra military had to wear identification tags around their necks. Cloud tucked his tags back under his shirt and shrugged.

“I didn't know what my mission was.” He told her honestly, “When I first arrived, I realised that I'd gone to a time before Nibelheim. I wanted to make sure it never happened, so I joined SOLDIER as a way to get close to Sephiroth.

“You got in this time?” Tifa asked.

Cloud nodded, taking another sandwich. “Easily. Made for a few awkward questions. Told them I was enhanced because I fell into a mako pool.”

“Not entirely a lie.” Sephiroth muttered, “I seem to remember you sitting in mako on our first mission.”

“I was pushed.” Cloud grumbled. He looked at Tifa and noticed her eyes going wide. She had been there, the last time he'd got mako poisoning. “I'm okay.” He told her, “Apparently I'm not susceptible to mako poisoning any more.” He reassured her. “It just makes me itchy.”

She blinked at him a few times before taking a breath. “A lot has happened to you, hasn't it?” She asked. “How long were you in that other world?”

Cloud thought for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure, and his answer would change depending on weather or not she counted a few things. “Well... I was there for...” He really had no idea, he turned to Sephiroth with a shrug.

“Six years total.” The man supplied. That sounded about right, if you included the times that he wasn't exactly concious.

Cloud nodded, “Yeah, about six years.”

“You've only been gone from here for five.” Tifa told him, “And Zack's been gone for six months.”

Cloud nodded, pushing away the sadness at the reminder of his son, concentrating instead on the food in his hand. After a few bites, he found himself yawning. “Sorry.” He muttered.

“You said it was evening when you left? Your room is still there...” She told Cloud. “I can set up the futon...”

“Thanks.” Cloud nodded and Tifa left. He didn't have the courage to tell her that he and Sephiroth were quite used to sharing a bed. His return and the news about Zeke had been shocking enough for her. He could wait to tell her, until after she was used to Sephiroth being in their lives.

The door to the bar opened and Cloud spoke automatically, “We're closed.” He warned whoever had come in. Their footsteps stopped almost as soon as he had spoken and he finally turned around to see who had joined them.

Two not quite children stood frozen in the middle of the room, both staring at Cloud with wide eyes. They were older than Cloud remembered, definitely bigger, but there was no denying who they were. Their names were on the tip of his tongue when their eyes flickered to Sephiroth. Before Cloud could say anything, they charged.

“Woah!” They were a lot quicker than he remembered, and he only managed to intercept one of them. “Marlene! Denzel, hold on!” He disarmed Marlene, her gun falling into his open hand. He looked up to see Sephiroth easily disarm Denzel of the two daggers he'd held.

“Wait!” Cloud called again, and the two children hesitated. “He's not a bad guy!” He told them, stepping in between Sephiroth and the children. He held his hand out and Sephiroth dropped the daggers into it. “He's from another timeline.”

The two youth looked at him for a moment, then regarded Sephiroth. The man hadn't taken any hostile action beyond protecting himself from their frenzied attacks and he stayed quiet behind Cloud.

“You're not crazy?” Marlene asked Sephiroth slowly.

“No.”

“Are you going to burn everything down?” She asked.

“No.”

“Are you going to call a Meteor down so that you can hurt the planet and absorb the power it tries to use to heal itself as a way to make yourself a god?”

Sephiroth just stared at her for a moment before answering slowly. “No..?” He looked at Cloud. “The Sephiroth of this world really was insane, wasn't he?”

“Told you.” Cloud muttered with a shrug before turning his attention back to Marlene who was still regarding Sephiroth with suspicion.

“Are you going to hurt Cloud?”

“Never.”

Marlene continued to look at him for a moment before nodding once. “If you hurt him, I'll hurt you.” She told him. Behind her, Denzel was smirking lightly. “Now,” She continued, looking at Cloud with a glare she'd obviously learned from Tifa. Cloud suddenly felt like he was in trouble. “You.” She pointed at Cloud, “Are you going to disappear again?”

“I hope not.” He told her, “But I can't promise anything. I don't tend to get a choice...”

She nodded again before relaxing. Apparently that was enough for her and she ran forward, throwing herself at Cloud in a tight hug. “Welcome home Cloud!” She called. She was soon joined by Denzel who also wrapped his arms around the blond. He held them back just as hard.

“It's good to be back.”

– – – – – – – – – – – –

It was still daylight when Cloud and Sephiroth retired to Cloud's old room. After their rather nice apartment, it felt very small, but neither man complained. Cloud fell into his bed with a soft sigh, finally letting the days events sink in. He was back in Edge. Back in the bar with Tifa and the kids. He was in his own timeline.

And Sephiroth was there.

Cloud sat up and reached out, snaking an arm around the man and pulling him down on to the bed beside him. “Hey,” He muttered, rearranging them until he could place his head on Sephiroth's shoulder. His bed was a lot smaller than theirs had been, and fitting them both on was a little cramped, but Cloud didn't care. He would make them both fit.

“Hey,” Sephiroth replied, smiling softly at Cloud. He pulled him close and placed a soft kiss on the top of Cloud's head. “So this is your timeline?” He mused aloud.

Cloud chuckled, “Yep. Home sweet home.” He sighed, wriggling a little to get into a more comfortable position. “I guess I should figure out what our mission is...” His voice was growing quieter as he relaxed.

“I'm sure we can figure that out later.” Sephiroth assured him, moving a little so that he could pull the blankets around them. “For now, you need to sleep.”

Sometimes, Cloud had to admit, Sephiroth really did have good ideas.

 


	2. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud and Sephiroth settle in. Tifa gives Cloud lots of strange looks.

His dreams had never been kind to him. The sounds, the smells, the sights. They were all designed to make him fear sleep, to dread the night. Tonight was no exception. But it _was_ different.

Instead of the liquid green prison he'd been expecting, he found himself on the rooftop. The wind was howling, throwing debris around him, battering his hair into his eyes. Above him clouds gathered and thunder boomed, growing ready for the storm that was fast approaching.

None of that mattered. The scenery, the weather, it all faded away the moment that he caught sight of the boy in the sky. His wings, a dichotomy of light and dark, spreading further than they should have, flapping lightly to hold the boy in the sky where he hovered. His eyes were closed, almost peaceful.

He tried to move, to reach out, to call out, to do _anything_ , but he was frozen in place, his body able to do nothing more than let him watch in horror as the events unfolded in front of him over and over again, burning into his very soul.

He couldn't look away. All he could do was watch as his son absorbed balls of light, one after another after another after another, each seeping into his skin and burying themselves into his body. The child didn't flinch, didn't move, he simply hovered in the sky, light glowing around him.

Zeke's eyes opened and stared at him, bright green narrowed in betrayal. “Why didn't you stop me?” The accusation was like a spear through his heart, but he couldn't answer. He had no answer.

“Why didn't you save me!?” The boy shouted, the light around him steadily growing. “A death beyond death! You were told to save me!”

The light encapsulated the boy, removing him from view. But his words came through. “You failed.”

– – – – – – –

“Hey!”

Cloud jerked awake, sweat beading on his brow. He took a deep breath, followed by another and felt himself being pulled against a solid chest. Strong arms wound around him and started to rock him back and forth.

“You're awake now.” Came the soothing voice and Cloud allowed himself to relax and let the tears out. He held tight to Sephiroth and cried while the man simply rocked them back and forth, gently stroking his hair.

After some time, the tears stopped and Cloud let himself fall into numbness and relaxed against Sephiroth.

“The labs again?” Sephiroth asked quietly and Cloud shook his head, curling up a little in the man's lap.

“Zeke.” His voice was quiet, emotionally drained. “I... He said I failed him...”

The arms that were around Cloud tightened briefly as Sephiroth held Cloud tighter. “You didn't.” He told him quietly, “He made his choice.”

“The _Planet_ made that choice.” Cloud hissed. “Like she keeps making choices for me. I'm sick of being a puppet!”

Sephiroth sighed softly, pressing a soft kiss against Cloud's forehead. He didn't say anything, and Cloud knew that it was because he didn't know what to say. He didn't have any words of comfort available, he couldn't dispute what Cloud had said because it was true. Instead of offering false platitudes, he simply held Cloud, giving him as much comfort as he could.

They stayed like that until sunlight began to filter through the window. Cloud sighed softly and stretched, getting up. He went through his closet and found some clothes that he'd left behind. He didn't have anything that would fit Sephiroth, but after a moment he threw the man a spare shirt. It would be a tight fit, but at least it was clean. “We'll have to go shopping today.” He told the ex-general.

Sephiroth grimaced at the idea and sighed, “I don't have any money.” He pointed out to Cloud, who simply shrugged with a small smirk.

“Lucky for you, I do.”

– – – – – – – – – –

Tifa had her special coffee made for them by the time they made it downstairs. With a groan of appreciation, Cloud poured a cup and dumped several teaspoons of sugar in it before handing it to Sephiroth and doing the same thing with his own cup. Once again, Tifa gave Cloud a strange look.

He grunted a good morning to her and sat at the bar, nursing his coffee.

“Since when do you take sugar in your coffee?” Tifa asked.

“Blame him.” Cloud muttered, gesturing to Sephiroth with the hand that wasn't wrapped around his mug.

“You didn't have to keep drinking my coffee.” Sephiroth said with a shrug, slowly sipping at his own drink.

Cloud returned the shrug, “I got used to it.”

Tifa was looking from one to the other, a strange expression on her face. Cloud was far too tired to try to decipher it. “Well anyway,” Tifa grabbed herself a small coffee from a different pot, “The others'll be here this afternoon.” She told him. “Here.” She handed Cloud a key. “The storage container on East Street. Container number 13.”

Cloud frowned at the key, wondering what she was talking about, but pocketed the it anyway. He'd check it out later, it wasn't far from the market. “Do you know how much is left in my account?” He asked, “I'm going shopping.”

“Same as you left it.” Tifa said with a shrug, “We didn't need it.”

Cloud nodded and finished his coffee and turned to Sephiroth with a small frown. “You'll have to put the hat on.” He warned him. “We don't want anybody to recognise you...”

“Oh, I spoke to Reeve about that.” Tifa piped up, “He's publishing a statement today claiming that you're a clone.” She said to Sephiroth, “So that if you're recognised, you have an alibi.”

Sephiroth nodded. “I supposed I should find a new name.”

“Seph.” Cloud offered with a smirk, “We should call you Seph.”

Sephiroth gave him a dirty look and Cloud snickered. He knew how much Sephiroth hated being called that, he used to use it to tease him. But after a moment, Cloud was surprised when Sephiroth shrugged with a sigh.

“Better than nothing.” He told him, “And it shouldn't be too difficult to get used to.”

“You still hate it, don't you?” Cloud was still snickering and dodged the hand that Sephiroth brought up to swat him on the back of the head, which made him laugh harder. “Now I'll just have to come up with a new nickname to piss you off.”

– – – – – – – – –

Tifa was still giving them strange looks when they finished their coffee and headed out. Sephiroth had agreed to wear the hat and scarf until Reeve's announcement was widely spread. Together, they headed towards the storage containers close to the market.

When Cloud opened the container, his eyes widened and he let out a small, gleeful sound and rushed forward. Under a dust cover was the unmistakable shape of Fenrir.

“Oh baby!” Cloud pulled the dust cover off excitedly, checking over the bike for any new damage. “Oh they have taken good care of you, haven't they?” His hand was gently rubbing along the metal body as he spoke to the machine. He hit the switch to open her compartments and continued checking her for any new issues.

It looked like AVALANCHE had kept her in good condition. The fuel in her tank wasn't even stale, but she was fuelled up and ready to go. He stored his sword and closed the compartments, reaching for the goggles that had been left hanging from the handlebars. After putting them on, he looked up at Sephiroth, a massive grin on his face. “Get on.” He ordered, swinging his own legs over the vehicle. “C'mon! I need to ride!”

With a bemused look on his face, Sephiroth followed Cloud's instructions and took his place on the back of Cloud's bike, his arms snaking around his partner. The moment he was securely on the bike, Cloud started her engine and peeled out of the storage container, taking off at high speeds.

He didn't even care where they were going at this point, it just felt so good to be on the back of his beloved bike again. Leaning forward, he gave her another boost of speed and headed towards the ruins of Midgar. The old highways were a favourite place of his to take the bike, and it wasn't too far away from edge and there were plenty of obstacles for him to swerve around.

They hadn't been riding long when he felt Sephiroth's arms tighten around him and he realised something. This was the first time that Sephiroth was seeing the Midgar of this world.

He drove up a mostly intact highway and found a good vantage point to pull over. He killed the engine and turned his attention to Sephiroth. “Sorry.” He said, “I didn't think...”

But Sephiroth wasn't listening, his eyes were trained on the ruined city that had been his home for as long as he could remember. Parts of it were still mostly intact, but the majority of the city was in complete shambles.

“Some people wanted to rebuild it.” Cloud told him quietly, “But most people wanted to move on. It would've been a lot harder and more expensive to rebuild than it was to build Edge.”

Sephiroth nodded slowly, taking in the sights before him. “You did say a meteor landed on it...” He said quietly, “I would be surprised if anything survived the impact...”

“Hold on.” Cloud started the bike again, and Sephiroth dutifully held on.

– – – – – – – – –

“Not everything was destroyed.” Cloud said quietly after pulling over and switching the engine off. They were in front of the church, which was still mostly standing. The hole in the roof was a lot bigger, but from the outside it looked mostly intact.

Cloud climbed off the bike, hanging his goggles over the handlebars again. Sephiroth adjusted the hat he'd held on his head and dismounted, eyes trained on the structure before him, a soft, sad smile on his lips.

“She wont be inside...” Sephiroth said quietly and Cloud shook his head. In this world, Aerith was gone.

“No. But her spirit used to come here a lot.”

Together they headed inside. The pool that had been created on Advent Day had slowly shrunk over time, and AVALANCHE had repaired and replaced the floorboards. It had seemed a strange thing to do, since they left the roof in the shape that it was in, but the team had felt like it was only right. Once the pool had gone back far enough, they'd planted more flowers. What was left, was the flowerbed, slightly larger than before Meteorfall, and a small pool of water in the middle.

Cloud lead the way forward, kneeling before the flowers and gently tending to them. Sephiroth joined him, but his eyes were trained on the sword buried in the alter.

They were silent for a while before Sephiroth spoke. “I can hear the planet.” He told Cloud quietly, “It's different than it was on my world...”

Over the last three years, Aerith had taught Sephiroth how to open his mind and hear the cries of the planet, how to listen and interpret what she was saying. Sephiroth didn't like to do so, but would listen at times. He'd once admitted to Cloud that it was nice to have some part of his heritage that wasn't corrupted by Jenova or Shinra. The part of him that could hear the planet had come from Jenova's host, not the calamity herself, and Sephiroth had remarked that it felt like he could truly claim it as a part of his heritage. Even if the ability didn't come from either of his biological parents.

“Can you hear why we're here?” Cloud asked.

Sephiroth shook his head, “Not really... I'm still not very good at interpreting.” He paused for a moment, gently placing his hand on the soil under the flowers and closing his eyes. “This world was supposed to be destroyed...” He said quietly, “Ours was the only one that was supposed to survive.... But the world didn't die. The Jenovians moved on and bypassed this world.... The Planet... The Planet thought that you would want to come home...”

Sephiroth opened his eyes and looked at Cloud, “She thought you would want to be with your family... She couldn't tell us apart because we were in physical contact, so I was brought here too...”

“You mean the Planet was trying to do something nice for me?” Cloud asked, incredulous. “Wouldv'e been nice to be given a choice.”

Sephiroth nodded, “You belong here.” He told Cloud, “Your soul resonates with the lifestream of this planet...” He pulled his hand back and took a breath, shaking his head. “I dislike doing that.” He told Cloud, who nodded.

“We should get going.” Cloud said reluctantly. “We need to buy you some supplies before the team get here...”

Sephiroth nodded, but didn't move. “Cloud...”

“Hmm?” 

“Are you ashamed of our relationship?”

“What?” Cloud stared at his partner for a moment, wondering where the hell that had come from, and how Sephiroth had got that idea. “No. Why?”

“You're reluctant to tell your friends.” Sephiroth said quietly, “You shy away from physical contact when in their presence. You keep distance between us.” Cloud hadn't realised he had been doing that, but when he thought about it, he could see why Sephiroth would think that. Over the last year, they'd spent a lot of time in physical contact, even if it was just a hand on an arm or shoulders pressed together. He realised that since coming here, he actually _had_ kept a little more distance between them than they usually had.

Cloud sighed softly and leaned to his side, placing his head on Sephiroth's shoulder. “They don't know you.” Cloud told him, “It's going to take them a while to get used to the idea that you're not the Sephiroth from this world... Me suddenly returning and bringing you with me, that's a big deal. I don't want to overload them...”

Sephiroth was quiet for a moment but nodded in understanding. “I don't like it.” He told Cloud, “But I will follow your lead.”

– – – – – – – – – –

Sephiroth hated shopping. Cloud would later admit to dragging things out a little, just to annoy the man. He found the pouting amusing and adorable. By the time they got back to 7th Heaven, Sephiroth had several new outfits and a few accessories. Cloud had splurged a little and bought himself some new clothes as well.

They'd had lunch before coming back, and once again Sephiroth had disappeared for a short time while Cloud ordered for them. When he returned, Sephiroth had a new bag, but wouldn't let Cloud look inside. Cloud was sure that it was payback for making their shopping trip so long. When they returned to 7th Heaven, AVALANCHE hadn't arrived yet, and the boys took their new purchases up to their tiny room. Less than an hour later, they could hear Cloud's friends arrive.

“C'mon.” Cloud leaned up and gave Sephiroth a small kiss, “Time to meet the family.”

Sephiroth hesitated before shaking his head, “You should spend time with them first.” He told him, “You haven't seen them in a long while. Perhaps it would be best if I remained up here.”

Was Sephiroth nervous? Cloud couldn't blame him. This _was_ the group of warriors that had killed his counterpart, and they had no real reason to trust him. Sure, Cloud trusted him, but he wasn't exactly known for his mental stability when it came to Sephiroth. And sure, Sephiroth had surrendered his weapon to Tifa that morning, but as far as the rest of the team knew, Sephiroth could manifest Masamune.

He couldn't, but his team might not believe him if he told them.

But leaving Sephiroth in their room when the others were expecting to see him would only bring up more questions about his sanity, and he really didn't need them questioning if he was going crazy or not. No, it was better if they met Sephiroth sooner, rather than later. Hopefully they would be able to see that he wasn't the man from their nightmares.

“Nope.” Cloud took Sephiroth's hand and dragged him to the stairs before sliding behind him. Hands on his shoulders he pushed him gently but firmly towards the bar. “Best get things over with.” Cloud told Sephiroth, leaning down to whisper in his ear. He kissed it gently before they were within sight of the bar. “It'll take some time, but eventually they'll get to know you, and they'll accept you as one of us.”

“You're awfully optimistic today.” Sephiroth said with a sigh. Cloud chuckled and shrugged.

They entered the bar proper, and Cloud gave Sephiroth one final push. The man reluctantly walked forward, and Cloud followed him into the room.

A deadly quiet fell over everyone and Cloud took a breath. “Tifa _did_ tell you I brought home a friend...?”

“Yeah, but seein' is believin'.” Barret muttered, staring at Sephiroth. They were all staring at Sephiroth. Cloud could feel the warrior tense with apprehension and stepped around him.

“He's not the same man-”

“Yeah! We get that.” It was Yuffie who spoke up this time. “He just...”

“Looks like our enemy.” This time it was Reeve who spoke. He was the only one that didn't seem to be staring at Sephiroth, and Cloud realised that Reeve had actually known the Sephiroth of this time before he'd gone insane. He knew what kind of a man the SOLDIER had been before losing his grip on reality.

Sephiroth took a breath and addressed the people standing around the bar. “I am not the Sephiroth you knew and fought against.” He told them, “I understand your reservations about me, but I would like to assure you that I am sound of mind. Cloud explained my origins to me, and assisted me in the destruction of the Jenova of my world. I assure you, I pose no danger to you.”

The team still looked unconvinced and Cloud sighed, “If you don't want to trust him, fine. Trust me.” He told them, “This Sephiroth has had my back more times than I can count, and saved my life more than once. He took over Shinra and shut down the mako reactors so that the Planet could heal.”

“He took down Shinra?” Yuffie asked, tilting her head to one side to regard Sephiroth, who shrugged and looked away.

“I wished to preserve the lifestream.” He told her, “Someone I held dear had returned there, and I wanted to ensure that he would still be there when I joined him.”

Cloud swallowed a lump when he heard the emotion in Sephiroth's voice and shook his head. “Does it matter _why_ he did it?” Cloud asked his team, “He is a good man, and very much not the Sephiroth of this world.”

“He does one thing to hurt anyone...” Cid began his threat and Sephiroth turned to face him.

“Then I would expect you to stop me.” He told him, “I am sure of my sanity. But this isn't my world. If something were to happen, if I were to become... _him_... Then I would hope that you _would_ stop me. The stories that I have heard of that man...” He shook his head, “He is not something I wish to become.”

Silence fell as AVALANCHE regarded Sephiroth, each member deep in thought. Eventually, Nanaki stepped forward. “You are not the man that destroyed so much. It is unfortunate that you must prove yourself to this world, but you deserve the chance to try.”

Sephiroth bowed his head at Nanaki in thanks, and Cloud allowed himself to breathe properly again. It wasn't often that Nanaki spoke, but when he did he did so with the wisdom of his people and AVALANCHE tended to listen to him.

“Fine. But you best be the best damned person you can be.” Barret said, still levelling a stare at Sephiroth. “You aint the man we been fightin' but you _could_ turn into him.”

Sephiroth nodded again, “Then it is fortunate that I am surrounded by people who can stop me.” He told them.

– – – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So while writing this, Cloud felt a little OOC. But then I remembered that I actually did some character development in the last story, and that it's now been eleven years since Advent Children and for the first time, probably ever, Cloud is actually in a stable and loving relationship. 
> 
> 5 with baby Zack and 6 in the alternate reality. And Cloud has now been unconcious or dead for a total of seven years or so of his life... (4 in Nibelheim, 1 while dead, 2 in a catatonic state after Zeke died). 
> 
> Also, I am planing a few NSFW chapters that I will post separately to the main fics to keep the raiting down on these ones, if anybody would be interested in reading a little more about that...


	3. Old Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud tells his story to AVALANCHE

It would take a while for AVALANCHE to truly accept that this Sephiroth wasn't an evil homicidal maniac, but they were on their way to doing so. The fact that Cloud had brought home Zack probably helped them accept that this Sephiroth was different, but it would still take them a while to get used to the idea. Cloud was just glad that after their initial meeting, his friends seemed to have relaxed a little. They were still noticeably uncomfortable, and none of them stayed too far away from their weapons, but they no longer looked like they were about to strike him down.

It was exhausting for Cloud. He was constantly on edge, prepared for the worst, but slowly he started to relax. These were his friends, the people he could, and did, trust with his life. He didn't like being wary around them.

Now that they were all here, it was a good time for him to tell them about what he'd been doing for the last five years, and he gestured for everyone to take a seat. Sephiroth sat beside him at the bar, and the rest of the team took seats around various tables. Tifa provided everyone with drinks. Cid and Barret drained theirs in one go, while everybody else seemed content to sip at them for a while. Everybody's attention was trained on Cloud, ready for him to speak.

Cloud took a deep breath. “When I was sent to the other timeline, I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. The Planet hadn't told me anything, but every time she'd sent me to do something in the past, it had to do with Sephiroth. So I joined SOLDIER. Zack Fair was assigned to officially be my mentor, but had an unofficial shadow order. I was already enhanced and Shinra didn't trust me.

“After a few days, Zack realised that he wouldn't be able to train me. I was more experienced than him, so he thought that I would enjoy a sparing match that was a challenge. He organised a fight between me and Sephiroth.” He turned to Sephiroth with a frown, a question that had been on his mind a lot back then now occurring to him, “How did he convince you to fight me?”

Sephiroth just shrugged, “I watched your initiation.” He told him, “Zack pointed out that you were possibly capable of defeating me. You were interesting, so I agreed.”

“Huh.” It had been that easy? He shrugged, “Anyway, after a few missions and a few more sparing matches, we became friends. I still had no idea what the Planet wanted me to do, so getting close to Sephiroth would make things easier either way. After a few months, Zack showed up. He called himself Zeke then, and stayed in the slums to keep himself off Shinra's radar. One night, he called me and told me that _she_ wanted to speak with me.”

“The Planet?” Reeve asked.

Cloud shook his head, a soft smile on his lips, “Aerith.” He told them. “The Planet had given her the memories of the Aerith from this time. She... remembered everything.”

“Can't imagine she got on with Sephiroth then.” Cid muttered.

“We got along well.” Sephiroth said with a frown, “Why would we not?”

“Well, 'cause you killed her.” Yuffie said with a shrug.

Cloud grimaced. That was one piece of information he'd never actually told Sephiroth, and he was reasonably sure that Aerith hadn't said anything either. Sephiroth turned to Cloud with a questioning look. “The Sephiroth of this timeline killed her.” He told him quietly, “To stop her from summoning Holy.”

Sephiroth's frown deepened, “That was how she was 'interrupted'?” He asked. “She was allowed to return to the Planet because of my counterpart?”

Cloud nodded and turned back to his friends who were regarding Sephiroth with curiosity. “Holy... consumes the soul of the caster...” He told them quietly, “If Aerith had been allowed to finish summoning it to its full potential, she would've... never been able to return to the lifestream.”

Silence fell yet again as the members of AVALANCHE processed that information.

“So by killing her, Sephiroth saved her?” Vincent questioned and Cloud nodded.

“Yeah. From a death beyond death. Because she didn't finish summoning it, she returned to the lifestream and Holy wasn't released at its true power.” Beside him, Sephiroth was still frowning and Cloud knew that he would get a talking to later that night. “In the other world, Aerith told me what my mission was. It wasn't actually about Sephiroth at all, not really. Jenova's people were heading towards the planet. In all of the timelines. They were going to destroy the world, and if they did that to all the timelines, then the Planet would die. But if one of the timelines survived, then the Planet would too...” He wasn't sure if he was explaining this properly, he still didn't completely understand it himself.

“So you were sent to take out Jenova's people?” Yuffie asked, sipping at her drink with a grimace. She pushed the drink towards Cid who took it without comment.

Cloud shook his head, “No. I was sent as backup. The only way to stop them was...” He couldn't say it. Couldn't tell them what had happened, how Zack...

“The only way to stop them was with the use of Holy.” Sephiroth told them, “And there was only one person that would be able to wield it with enough power for it to work.” He paused for a moment, bowing his head. “For the entirety of his life, the Planet had been slowly giving Zeke her power. He was... the only one who could destroy the Jenovians.”

“Wait... Zeke was what Zack called himself, right?” Cid asked, “But if he used Holy, and Holy consumed souls...?”

Cloud nodded once, averting his eyes. He couldn't look at his friends, to see them understand what had happened to Zeke. He couldn't see the realisation dawn on them, to know how he'd failed his son. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing their pain as they realised that he could never return to the lifestream, that he could never truly rest or return to the planet, that he would be forever separated from everybody that loved him. He couldn't handle the idea that they would blame him, or _worse_ that they wouldn't. That they would refuse to place the blame on his shoulders where it belonged. Zeke had been his son. His _son_. It was his job to protect him. To make sure that he was safe. The Zeke in his dream had been right. He _had_ failed him. Failed to protect him, failed to look after him. _Failed to save him._

His heart was beating too fast and breathing was hard. He knew what was happening to him as his thoughts tumbled over one another frantically. “Excuse me.” He managed to mutter in the hopes that nobody would follow him as he all but fled out the door. He didn't want their pity, their understanding. He didn't want them to see him in his moment of weakness.

He managed to make it outside to the alleyway behind 7th Heaven before the attack hit him in full force. He tried to gulp down air and regulate his breathing but his entire body was screaming at him that he was drowning, that he couldn't breathe. He fought the urge to breathe quickly but it was hard. His balance went, and he found himself leaning against the wall for support.

A familiar hand came to rest on his back, and a soothing voice spoke to him, guided him through his breathing techniques. Sephiroth was there, calmly coaching him through his attack.

“You'll be okay.” Sephiroth was saying quietly, “Just breathe. Deep breath... hold it...”

Sephiroth had witnessed enough of Cloud's attacks to be able to help him. He knew the techniques and how to make Cloud follow them. He was a soothing presence and Cloud let himself trust in the words he was speaking.

It took him a few minutes to calm down enough that breathing wasn't so hard and the dizziness receded. “Thank you.” He muttered, leaning in to the hand on his back. Behind him, he could feel Sephiroth nod.

“You're alright now?” He asked quietly.

“No.” Cloud let out a disparaging laugh, “But the attack is over.”

“Cloud?” Cloud finally pulled himself away from the wall to look over at the door to the bar. Tifa was stood there, concern evident in her dark eyes. He nodded to her and took another steadying breath, wiping at his eyes.

“I'll be in in a minute.” He told her, still concentrating on his breathing. Panic attacks always left him feeling off kilter, but he was used to them now. He took a few more seconds to collect himself before walking back into the bar.

“Sorry.” He told his friends, they all nodded in understanding, knowing about his PTSD. They'd never actually seen him break down, but they knew that it could happen. That it _did_ happen. They always gave him his space and never complained when he hid himself away for a few moments at a time. It was just one of the many reasons he loved them all so deeply. A cup of hot, sweetened coffee was pressed into his hands and he offered Tifa a small smile in appreciation.

He cleared his throat and took his seat. “Before they came, we had to get rid of the Jenova that was already in the world.” He continued with his story like nothing had happened, wanting to keep the subject away from his attack, to move on. “It took us a while to come up with a plan, but eventually we did. We were going to flood Jenova's containment unit with Mako and Aerith was going to force it to solidify – like Lucrecia did in her cave – everything was going well until Jenova struck back.” He looked at Sephiroth and shrugged, “I don't know what happened next.” He admitted.

“Jenova impaled you.” Sephiroth told him, “You returned to the lifestream. Zack and Aerith completed our mission and sent Jenova into space using Shinra No. 26.” He said the last bit to the rest of AVALANCHE. “We didn't know if her call for Reunion would cause her people to follow her or not. We had hoped they would simply continue to follow her and leave our planet alone.”

“Wait. Wait. Hold up!” Barret raised his hand in a 'stop' motion. “Spikey, you returned to the Planet? You died?”

Cloud shrugged, “I don't remember much about it.” He told them, “It was peaceful, quiet... But I didn't want to stay there.”

“Cloud and I are linked.” Sephiroth told them, “I don't fully understand it, but Aerith called our link a Nexis. If one of us dies, we can use that link to find our way back.”

“Huh...” Cid looked between them, “That explains some stuff.”

Sephiroth nodded in agreement. “It took Cloud a year to come back.” He told them, “In that time, I made sure that Zeke was provided for and enacted a plan to overthrow Shinra. Shortly before Cloud returned, we realised that Jenova's people were still coming.”

“They arrived seven days after I came back.” Cloud said quietly, “And that's when Zeke... That's when Zack saved the world.” His voice hitched at the last part, and he willed himself to stay calm. He didn't need another panic attack, and he had to get used to the idea that Zack was gone. Saying it out loud was hard, but he had to do it. This was Zack's family as much as it was his, and they needed to know what happened. He felt Sephiroth shift subtly beside him so that their shoulders were touching and was thankful for the show of support. He held his coffee cup a little tighter and a little closer to himself, concentrating on the warmth on his hands. He needed to stay in the here and now, ground himelf.

“And then you came home?” Yuffie asked.

Cloud shook his head, “No. I...” He didn't know how to explain to them what had happened next.

“The doctors called it catatonic depression.” Sephiroth spoke again, voice quiet.

“It was like when I was in Mideel.” He told his friends. “I could hear things, but I didn't process them. I-” He shook his head, “I shut down.”

Again, he couldn't look at his friends. He knew that they would be regarding him with pity. Cloud didn't want to have to deal with that. He already hated his mental health, felt weak. He didn't need to see their reactions.

“How long for?” Tifa asked quietly. She had been there, in Mideel. She'd been the one to take care of him, to bring him back.

“Two years.” Cloud said quietly, “I was woke up by a baby crying...”

“A baby?” Yuffie asked and Cloud nodded, a small smile on his face.

“Lilly.” He told her, finally looking up. “Aerith's daughter.” He knew how bitter sweet that would be for his friends. In the other world, Aerith got to live, she got to have a family. Something that their friend had never had the opportunity to do. “She was nearly eighteen months old when we were brought here.”

“Oooh, I bet she's adorable!” Yuffie apparently still liked babies. As long as they were old enough to interact with people. Cloud nodded and reached into his pocket, glad that he'd had his wallet on him when he'd been brought back.

Inside, he had a handful of photographs. The one he pulled out was one that was particularly special to him. It depicted a very happy Aerith holding her baby, with a proud Zack beside her. Cloud and Sephiroth stood on either side of them, also smiling down at the baby who was waving at the camera man. Cloud remembered that photograph being taken. To him, it had only been a few weeks ago. Kunsel had suggested that they have a 'family picture' and had all but insisted.

Cloud showed the photograph to his friends. “Wow.” Yuffie said, looking at the photograph, “I don't think I've ever seen you so happy...”

Cloud shrugged, feeling his cheeks go slightly red, “The world was at peace.” He told her, “Aerith and Zack were alive. The Shinra reactors had been shut down. A government had been set up. There were no more threats and the world was healing.”

He really should have remembered about Yuffie's tendency to steal things. It was only due to his practice with babies reaching for things that his reflexes were fast enough to stop her from actually swiping his wallet.

“I want to see the other photos!” She complained and Cloud shook his head, blushing a lot harder.

“Trust me,” He told her, cursing his body's very visible reaction to embarrassment. “There are some in there that you _don't_ want to see.”

She stared at him for a moment before comprehension hit her and her eyes widened. “Do you have naughty pictures in there?” She asked, making another swipe for the wallet. Cloud again cursed his small stature as he couldn't quite hold it up high enough to keep it out of her reach. Instead, he simply handed it over his shoulder to Sephiroth who held it high with a smirk.

“Yes.” Cloud answered simply with a shrug. There was no use denying it, his bright red face was answering for him. The pictures weren't all that revealing, but they were still there.

“C'mon!” Yuffie was still making a move for the wallet, jumping to try and reach it where Sephiroth was holding it aloft. Sephiroth was chuckling at her and shaking his head.

“They're not that impressive.” He told her, “You can't really see much.”

She stopped jumping and her eyes went wide again, “You've seen them!?” Sephiroth shrugged and didn't answer. It wouldn't do to tell her that he was the one who had taken them. She turned her eyes to Cloud who blushed even darker and shrugged at her. While her attention was away from him, Sephiroth slipped the wallet into his pocket.

While Cloud was definitely embarrassed, it felt good to have this sort of interaction with Yuffie. He was glad that their friendship wasn't strained by his long absence and that the young empress hadn't changed all that much. The others seemed to be treating him no differently than before too. He was glad about that, and he finally let himself relax a little. He had his family back.

“Right.” Barret spoke again, seemingly wanting a change of subject. “Dinner's on you Spikey!” He announced and Cloud nodded. It really was the least he could do.

– – – – – – – 

“Your friends are interesting.” Sephiroth said quietly as they retired to their room for the evening. Cloud just chuckled and nodded.

“Yeah. Better get used to them.” He warned, “They're not likely to go very far for a while.” He finished changing into his sleep pants and climbed on the bed.

“You have been gone for a long time.” Sephiroth joined Cloud on the small bed and pulled him close. Cloud curled around him and relaxed against his chest.

“At least none of them took my hand hostage.” He said with a small chuckle.

“Hmph.” Sephiroth made a sound of mock offence. “I should hope not.” He told his partner, grabbing for said hand. “I might get a little jealous if I had to share it. I like this hand.”

Cloud laughed and intertwined their fingers, looking down at their hands. “You're not upset?” He asked quietly, “That I haven't told them?”

Sephiroth thought for a moment before shaking his head, “Maybe a little.” He answered. Cloud was glad that he would answer him honestly, it helped him know what the other was thinking and showed a deep level of trust. “But I can understand your reasoning.”

That was enough for now. Cloud knew that he couldn't keep their relationship a secret for too long, but he was glad that Sephiroth was giving him the chance to ease his friends into it. It would take them a while to accept Sephiroth as it was. He didn't need them thinking he was being controlled again.

“You didn't tell me. About Aerith's death.” Sephiroth said after a while and Cloud took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. He had known that this conversation was coming.

“No.” He answered, “After everything I told you about him... I didn't think I needed to. You and Aerith got along.” His free hand was idly stroking the arm that was around him and he nuzzled into Sephiroth's shoulder a little. “It was just another way that he wasn't you.”

Sephiroth seemed to be satisfied with that answer and he nodded, pulling the blanket over them. “Rest.” He told Cloud, “I'm here. If your nightmares come, I will wake you.”

And for the first time in over a year, Cloud slept without dreaming.

– – – – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting. My partner got rushed to A&E (he's fine) and then I found out that my grandfather has cancer (so far, he's also fine, but in a lot of pain). So not a good week. But I'm back now. Hopefully I can have another chapter up in a few hours, and hopefully one tomorrow as well. 
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me thus far.


	4. Old Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things settle into a routine.

Things had definitely changed around the bar for Tifa. Less than a year ago, the children had moved out, leaving her all alone. It had taken her some time to get used to that idea. Sure, the kids would visit her, seemingly at random, but for the most part, the bar was empty. Lonely.

She still ran it, still had her regulars, but it always seemed so empty without Denzel and Marlene. It had taken her two months to retrofit their room into a secondary storage area. She'd been hesitant at first, wanting to keep a place available if the kids wanted to come back, but she had decided that if they did, they could have Cloud's room. The man had been gone five years, the chances of him coming back were slim. She'd finally come to accept that.

Except Cloud _did_ come back, and he'd brought yet another version of Sephiroth with him.

Tifa sighed as she tided the bar, her eyes rolling as she thought about Cloud's propensity to bring back strays. It wasn't always a bad thing, Denzel and Zack had been welcome additions to their little family. But now he'd brought back a fully grown Sephiroth. And Tifa knew that they were more than just friends. The walls in their small apartment above the bar weren't very thick, after all. She couldn't hear their words, but other things... She blushed as she remembered the very distinct sounds she'd heard last night.

That... was new. She was glad that Cloud had found someone to share that side of himself with. She had tried, but it didn't work between them. At least now she had some idea as to why. It didn't matter how much he loved her if her equipment was wrong. It definitely explained a few things though.

She was brought out of her musings by the sound of feet on the stairway. “You're up late.” She commented, not willing to turn around just yet. She had to get her blushing under control first. If Cloud hadn't told her about him and Sephiroth, there was probably a reason. She was willing to give him some time to tell her himself.

“Good morning.” It was Sephiroth then. She could hear him move into the kitchen and frowned. He was alone.

Curiosity got the better of her and she followed him, watching him make a sandwich. “No Cloud?” She asked, glancing behind her as if waiting to see him on the stairs.

Sephiroth shook his head, a small, sad smile on his face. “He has good days and bad days.” He told her. “Since Zeke...There are days that he's less than functional.” He looked at her, his smile morphing into something that looked like he was trying to be reassuring, “He'll be alright.” He told her, “He just needs time.”

Tifa nodded slowly as Sephiroth finished preparing a few sandwiches. She reached under the counter and offered Sephiroth a tray before moving into the bar to make two cups of sweetened coffee. She placed them on the tray as Sephiroth moved past her and he gave her a nod of appreciation.

She wished dearly that she could help Cloud, but she knew the blonde well enough not to try. Going up there, checking on him, showing concern... He wouldn't appreciate that. It would likely just make him feel like she thought him pathetic. So instead she just busied herself with the bar. Cloud would come to when he was ready, and Sephiroth would take care of him in the mean time.

Hm. It seemed that she was already starting to trust the silver haired man.

– – – – – – – – – –

It was one of those days that Cloud had termed a 'not day'. He didn't have the energy to do anything. Simply moving was a colossal effort and his mind felt numb. Sometimes these days were welcomed, a way to escape the sorrow he felt daily. Sometimes he just felt weak and pathetic, which didn't help the lethargy.

Sephiroth returned to their room less than ten minutes after he'd left and Cloud accepted the coffee handed to him. “You need to eat.” Sephiroth said gently, carefully manoeuvring himself behind Cloud. He pulled the blond warrior to his chest and held him there, offering him silent comfort.

Cloud nodded mutely, reaching for the sandwich. He wasn't hungry, but he wasn't _not_ hungry. He knew that he had to eat, and was thankful that Sephiroth had gone to get him something. On days like these, he didn't have the energy to prepare a meal _and_ eat it.

They sat in silence as Cloud finished his sandwich. He put the plate on the bedside table and moved, curling up against Sephiroth's chest. There were no words spoken – there didn't need to be – and Cloud took silent comfort in Sephiroth's arms, sure in the knowledge that the man would be there when he needed him.

– – – – – – – – – – –

Things quickly settled down into a routine. Sephiroth and Cloud had been staying with Tifa for almost two months now and Cloud was starting to become antsy. He wasn't used to so much downtime. The last time he'd been in once place for so long with nothing to do was before he left Nibelheim all those years ago. Since then, he'd had one mission or another, or a child to raise (which he would admit, was a lot harder than any other mission he'd ever done). Now, however, he had literally nothing to do. Nothing was riding on him. Nothing was waiting on him. No monsters to kill, no madmen to hunt. Not even any paperwork.

He'd tried doing Tifa's paperwork for her once, but she'd told him off. Apparently it was her work to do and not his and ' _if he really wanted to do all the paperwork he should start his own bar_ '.

Or restart his delivery business. Which wasn't the worst idea in the world.

Originally, delivering packages had been a way for him to escape life for a while, to think of nothing but the hum of the engine between his legs and the wide open spaces around him. When riding Fenrir, he didn't have to think, didn't have to feel _emotion_. Just... be.

He didn't need to run away anymore, but he did need to do _something_.

“I'm thinking of starting my deliveries again.” Cloud told Sephiroth one night, curled up around his lover. “Something to do...”

Sephiroth nodded, “I will admit, being so... still... is getting difficult.”

Cloud chuckled. “Then come with me.” He offered, “Fenrir is big enough for both of us.”

And so, Cloud and Sephiroth started making deliveries.

– – – – – – – – –

They had been back in Cloud's timeline for three months when it first happened. They'd completed a delivery and were walking back to 7th Heaven when all of a sudden, Cloud stopped. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body fell limp, saved from hitting the concrete only by Sephiroth's quick reflexes.

When he woke up, he was in his room. Sephiroth was curled up beside him, asleep and Tifa was sitting in a chair in the corner.

“What-?” He tried to sit up but his muscles wouldn't let him. They screamed at him and he groaned, deciding that staying lay down would probably be a better idea than moving. At least until he could figure out what had happened.

“You're awake!” Tifa was on her feet and by his side in seconds.

“What...happened?” Cloud asked, frowning. He looked from Tifa to Sephiroth and made a move to wake the man, surprised he hadn't already woken up.

“Let him sleep.” Tifa's hand gently caught his and held it away from Sephiroth. “You're been out for nearly two days.” She told him, “I had to knock him out with a sleep spell.”

“Two days?” He relaxed and let Tifa put his arm down. She nodded, looking down at him with a concerned look.

“You passed out.” She told him, “Seph caught you and brought you home. Reeve sent a doctor over but...” She shook her head with a weary smile, “They never seem to know what's wrong with you.”

Two days? That would explain the dryness in his mouth, the ache in his muscles and his need for the bathroom. He struggled to sit up, half expecting Tifa to push him back down again. Instead, she helped him upright, concern still evident in her eyes.

Again, Cloud turned his attention to Sephiroth. The man was still curled up where he had been pressed against Cloud moments ago. Without thinking, Cloud gently stroked Sephiroth's hair back from his face before reaching for his shoulder and shaking him lightly, ignoring Tifa's protests.

“Hey,” His voice was horse, hurting just like the rest of him. He knew that if he didn't wake Sephiroth now, he'd never hear the end of it from the man later. He'd obviously been waiting for Cloud to wake up.

Luckily, status spells had always been easy for Sephiroth to shake and his eyes blinked open after only one shake of his shoulder. It took him a moment to focus, but when he did, he saw Cloud.

“You're awake.” He stated, slowly sitting up. Cloud nodded, the movement pulling at disused muscles and he grimaced lightly.

“Yeah.” He offered Sephiroth what he hoped was a reassuring, if not tired, smile. “What happened?” He asked quietly and Sephiroth just shook his head, no answers to give.

“You got off your bike and then just fell.” Sephiroth told him, “Did you feel anything before? Dizzy? Tired?”

Cloud shook his head, a hand reaching up to massage the protesting muscles. “No.” He let his hands drop as Sephiroth moved to sit behind him and take over the massaging. Cloud sighed softly as the aching muscles started to relax.

“Here.” Cloud's attention was brought to Tifa. She'd apparently left the room at some point and had now come back with a glass of water. Cloud took it gratefully and flushed slightly as he realised how he and Sephiroth were sitting.

She just shrugged at him with a small smile and blush, but said nothing as she retook her seat.

Did she already know? She didn't seem disturbed by walking in on Sephiroth giving Cloud a (supremely amazing) massage, and hadn't seemed to question the fact that Cloud wasn't surprised to find Sephiroth sleeping beside him.

“The walls aren't very thick.” Tifa said to him, as if she knew what he'd been thinking about. Of course she knew what he'd been thinking about. They'd been friends for a long time. Aside from Sephiroth, she was probably the person that knew him best.

Though... He felt his skin take on a distinctly pink hue as her words registered with him. The walls weren't very thick. Judging by the pink flush on her own cheeks, Cloud's assumption was correct. She'd overheard Cloud and Sephiroth during their... nocturnal activities.

Behind him, Sephiroth chuckled lightly. “You're turning red.” He told Cloud, reaching around him to gently nudge the glass Cloud was holding towards his face. “Drink your water.”

Cloud did as he was told absently, trying to think of something to say to Tifa to dispel the awkwardness that had enveloped them. After a moment, Sephiroth sighed and leaned forward to whisper in Cloud's ear.

“She didn't kick us out.” He told Cloud, “She's known for a while.” He was trying to be reassuring, but for some reason, Cloud wasn't relaxing. “She also hasn't killed me in my sleep.” Sephiroth continued and Cloud couldn't help but laugh lightly.

Tifa shrugged, “It's about time you found someone.” She said, “Not the someone I ever expected you'd find, but the Planet has a weird sense of humour.”

“You're telling me.” Cloud had to agree with that one. Finally, he allowed himself to relax and leaned against Sephiroth. The younger man stopped his massage and snaked his arms around Cloud, holding him against his chest.

“I slept for two days,” Cloud said slowly, “How can I possibly be this exhausted?” It was mostly a rhetorical question, but he asked it anyway.

“Because you haven't eaten.” Sephiroth told him, prodding him lightly in the side. “You need to eat, and stretch.” Still, he didn't let go of Cloud, even when the blond made a move.

Chuckling, Cloud shook his head, “Is this going to be the hand thing all over again?” He asked, and Sephiroth huffed lightly against his shoulder.

“No.” Reluctance dripped from those words, but Sephiroth slowly let go of Cloud and the smaller man finally got out of bed.

His muscles _did_ need to be stretched. His body was aching with disuse and now that he was fully up right, his bladder was screaming at him. With stumbling strides, he made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself.

It was while he was washing his hands that he noticed the first change.

Above the sink there was a mirror. His reflection stared back at him, the same as always except for his eyes. The glowing blue was now accompanied by a circle of gold, outlining the colour. Blinking, Cloud leaned closer to the mirror, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. No. No, his eyes really did have a gold ring now.

Frowning, he finished washing his hands and left the bathroom, joining the others downstairs in the kitchen. He stepped close to Sephiroth and took the man's hand, gaining his attention instantly. “My eyes.” He said to his partner, “Do they look different to you?”

Sephiroth leaned in close, examining the man's face, a frown on his own. “Gold...” He muttered, looking closely at each eye before leaning back. “You have gold in your eyes...”

“Yeah, that's what I thought I saw...”

“Do you think it's a delayed reaction to the experimentation Hojo put you through?” Sephiroth asked, regarding Cloud with curiosity before returning to the sandwich he had been preparing. It was practically the only thing that Cloud trusted Sephiroth to make, so the man had made a point of perfecting his sandwich making skills.

“That's a hell of a delay.” Tifa pointed out, “Nibelheim was two decades ago...”

Cloud shook his head, “Hojo got me again five years ago.” He told her, “But as far as I can tell, he only took blood samples and what not. Never got around to actually doing anything to me.”

Tifa was glaring at him, hands on her hips and Cloud suddenly felt like he was five years old and being scolded. This was the pose that he'd seen her adopt many times with the children over the years. And it was never a good thing. “What?” He asked, wondering why he was about to get lectured.

“You should tell us these sort of things!” There was anger and hurt in her voice and Cloud was more than a little surprised at that. It had been five years ago, she hadn't been there. Telling her wouldn't have solved anything.

“Why?” Cloud honestly didn't understand why she would need to know about something that hadn't had too much of an affect on him. Sure, his nightmares were a little more intense, but it wasn't anything she could help with.

“Because we're your friends! Because we can't help you if we don't know what's happened!” She took a breath and let it out slowly before shaking her head with a low growl and storming off. Cloud knew that she did that when she felt too angry, too worked up. It was better that she leave and cool down than stay and get even more emotional.

“What..?” Cloud had no idea why she was so upset. Hojo was gone. In both timelines. He couldn't hurt Cloud ever again, and even if he somehow had survived, Cloud knew that there was no way his friends would allow Hojo the chance to hurt him again.

“She cares for you.” Sephiroth told Cloud simply, handing him the sandwich. “It hurts her to know that you were hurt, and that she wasn't there to help.”

Cloud thought about Sephiroth's words for a moment. It did make sense, but he still didn't quite understand. Why would he tell her something that would hurt her when there was nothing she could do about it?

With a sigh, he pushed the thoughts from his head. It wouldn't do to dwell on them now. He'd simply have to apologise to Tifa later, and she would get over it. She always did.

He took the plate and sat at one of the tables in the bar. “So... Apparently Tifa knows about us..?” He said as Sephiroth joined him.

The man just shrugged, “You aren't quiet.” He pointed out, “Even if the walls were thick, I would be surprised if she _hadn't_ heard you.”

“You didn't say anything.” Cloud accused, taking a bite of his food.

Sephiroth just shrugged, “Neither did she.” He pointed out. “To us, or to anyone else.”

Cloud nodded. Tifa had always respected his privacy and wouldn't go around telling his friends about things he wasn't ready to tell them himself. Not unless the information was dangerous. But she had seemed... accepting. Maybe even approving? Either way, she hadn't lectured him and both he and Sephiroth were alive.

Maybe the rest of his friends wouldn't be as freaked out by the idea as he'd thought.

– – – – – – – – – –

Now that they knew that Tifa knew about them, Sephiroth was apparently done with holding back on the public displays of affection. When it was just the two or three of them, he made no attempts at hiding their relationship.

Cloud had felt a little awkward at first, when Sephiroth would make a point of putting an arm around his shoulder, or the small kisses he would give him randomly. It wasn't the affection that was strange to him – they'd been together over a year after all – but rather the fact that it was happening in front of Tifa and the woman seemed sort of pleased. It took him a few days to relax back into things, and by the time a week had passed, he was back to being just as tactile with Sephiroth as he had been in the man's native timeline.

A little more than a week after Cloud's collapse, they'd decided to continue with their deliveries. Sephiroth had insisted that they only take the jobs that would be close to Edge, and with some reluctance, Cloud had agreed.

When Sephiroth all but demanded that they use the car instead of Fenrir, Cloud had resisted, but even his legendary pouts hadn't been enough to sway the ex-general.

“We still don't know why you passed out.” Sephiroth told him, “The last thing we need is a repeat performance while you're in control of your bike. You could kill us both.” As always, Sephiroth had made a good point and Cloud had had very little choice but to agree. The idea of Sephiroth piloting the vehicle hadn't seemed to occur to either of them.

Travelling by car was never one of Cloud's favourite things to do, but at least he was still doing something, even if Sephiroth insisted he be the one to drive. Still, he made do. The fact that Sephiroth never seemed to forget to bring medication for Cloud's motion sickness did help. If only a little.

They were on their way back from a delivery in Kalm when Cloud's PHS rang. With a curious frown (nobody called him any more. It was easier to get Sephiroth to answer his phone than to get Cloud to), he flipped it open and answered.

“Cloud!” It was Tifa, and she sounded a unbalanced. “How far away are you?”

Cloud looked out the window and took note of their location, doing some quick calculations before answering. “About two hours. Are you alright?” He asked, growing a little worried. Tifa _never_ called him back from a trip.

“Someone came into the bar,” Upon hearing this, and the vague fear in her voice, Cloud tapped Sephiroth's leg three times rapidly and felt the car speed up.

“He collapsed. He's still unconscious but Cloud.... He's SOLDIER.” Tifa continued.

Cloud frowned, SOLDIER weren't common any more. After Meteorfall, anybody with glowing eyes were instantly distrusted and a lot of them had either been forced into hiding or even hunted. When the WRO had been set up, Reeve had issued a statement telling people to keep calm, and that former SOLDIER operatives weren't a threat and the hunts had stopped, but SOLDIERs still tended to keep to themselves. After Advent Day, Cloud had become more famous and slowly people were more accepting of SOLDIERs, but they were still rare to find in big cities outside of celebrations.

So why was there a SOLDIER in Edge?

“What does he look like?” Cloud asked. In Sephiroth's timeline, he'd become familiar with most, if not all, of the SOLDIER members. After Zack had left to take care of his new family, Cloud had ended up leading them.

“Red hair, long coat, blue eyes...” That last part wasn't unusual. Most SOLDIERs had blue eyes. There weren't many redheads in SOLDIER though, at least not in the SOLDIER that Cloud had lead.

“We'll be there soon. Keep yourself safe.” Cloud hung up the phone and turned to Sephiroth. The man's enhanced hearing had picked up on both sides of the conversation and he gave a sharp nod, kicking the car into a higher gear and pushing it to go faster.

They arrived back at Tifa's bar within forty-five minutes of the phone call.

“Tifa!” Cloud called as he threw the bar doors open, all but running inside, Sephiroth close behind him.

“I'm in here!” Tifa called from the back room, even as she came out into the bar. “I'm alright. He's still unconscious.” She gave him a nervous smile, “Sorry for worrying you.”

Cloud just nodded, walking further into the bar.

“I put him in your room.” She told him. It made sense. The bar was going to open in an hour or two, and it would only hurt business to have an unconscious man in plain sight. Cloud nodded again and made his way to the stairs.

He wasn't sure what he would do when he saw the SOLDIER. It wasn't like it was going to be one of his men. He never made it into SOLDIER in this world. But if he recognised the man, he would at least know how trustworthy he would be.

He reached his room and opened the door, stepping inside. The man on his bed wasn't familiar to him. Either he hadn't been a member of SOLDIER in Sephiroth's timeline, or he had left before Cloud had joined.

Behind him, he heard Sephiroth make a strange sound.

He turned away from the unconscious man to look at his lover. Sephiroth had gone pale and his eyes were a little wide as he stepped shakily into the room beside Cloud.

“Genesis.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally have a plot shaping... 
> 
> Still happy to hear ideas people have, but I think I have the main plotline down. 
> 
> I'm also open for ideas for smaller, one-off fics in the same universe.


	5. Old SOLDIER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genesis has returned. Cloud doesn't trust him.

The name was only vaguely familiar to Cloud. After Sephiroth had taken over Shinra and Cloud had agreed to help run the military, he'd come across a few files of ex-SOLDIERs. Apparently just before he'd arrived in the past, there had been a mass desertion. Genesis Rhapsodos had been the First Class that had deserted, taking a large number of lower ranked SOLDIERs with him.

There wasn't really much else in the files that hadn't been redacted, and Cloud hadn't been curious enough to find the original files – he already had a lot of work to do. Sephiroth had assured him that Genesis was no longer a threat, and Cloud had dropped the matter.

Now, he was wishing he hadn't. The reaction Sephiroth had had upon seeing the man in his bed had been extreme. It wasn't often that Sephiroth was thrown, and it was usually only because of strong emotion. Whoever the SOLDIER was, he had been important to Sephiroth. Which made it all the stranger that he'd never spoken about him.

After ascertaining that Genesis was in no immediate danger, Cloud had pulled Sephiroth aside. They sat in the back of the bar, mostly ignored and Cloud turned to Sephiroth for answers.

“Project G.” Sephiroth spoke quietly, making sure that they wouldn't be overheard. Shinra was gone in this world, but the general population still had a distrust for anything involving the science department. It wouldn't do to panic or anger the patrons of a bar during happy hour.

Cloud nodded, and gestured for Sephiroth to continue. Project G was a familiar concept to him. Experimentation on children, very similar to what was done to Sephiroth. If the man upstairs was a result of the project, then that meant that he'd been one of the original SOLDIERs.

“Genesis and Angeal were the result of Project G.” Sephiroth continued, “They were a few months older than me, and when we were around ten years old, Shinra decided that we should train together. Angeal and Genesis had both grown up in a small town called Banora and were brought to Shinra to join me in what would become the SOLDIER program.”

“You were friends?” Cloud asked. Sephiroth had claimed that Cloud had been his first friend, but the way he'd reacted to seeing Genesis, Cloud wasn't so sure anymore.

“In a way.” Sephiroth answered, “We were thrown together at a young age. Angeal thought himself our protector, his own code of honour making him feel responsible for us. But Gen... Genesis believed himself to be my rival. I suppose we were friends. After a fashion.”

Cloud nodded. He could remember making friends in his trooper days for no other reason than they were in the same group and it made life easier. He couldn't even remember their names now. It wasn't a true friendship, but it was something at the time.

“Just before you joined SOLDIER, Genesis defected. The experiments that had created him weren't stable. He began to degrade both physically nd mentally. He thought himself a monster and left with Doctor Hollander, I think he intended on finding a way to heal himself. Instead, he created copies of himself, turning other SOLDIERs into...” His sentence trailed and he shook his head, deciding to just say what he needed to, “Clones. Not long after he left, Angeal began to degrade and followed him. It was a few days before the end of the war.”

So a few months before Cloud had arrived in their timeline. Cloud was aware of Angeal – he'd been Zack's mentor and the original owner of the Buster Sword – but he hadn't heard much about Genesis.

“Genesis Clones were creating problems, and Zack and I took many missions to take care of them.” Sephiroth continued, and Cloud remembered back to his first days with SOLDIER and remembered the secretive missions that Zack and Sephiroth had disappeared on. Apparently they'd been hunting Genesis copies.

“What happened to him?” Cloud asked.

“We lost track of him completely. His clones stopped appearing and Hollander was found dead. We assumed Genesis had died also. I kept sending people to search, but they always came back empty handed.”

A few drinks were placed in front of them, and Cloud looked up to give Tifa a nod in thanks. She smiled at them and gestured around. “When you guys are done, I could do with a hand.” She told them.

“We will be with you shortly.” Sephiroth promised and Tifa left them to it.

“Apparently he didn't die.” Cloud pointed out, gesturing to the stairs that led to their room. “At least, not in this world. Until he wakes up, there's no telling what differences there were here.”

Sephiroth nodded, lowering his eyes and Cloud realised that it hadn't occurred to Sephiroth that this wasn't the Genesis from his world, but rather the one from Cloud's. He'd been given a second chance with a friend, only to realise that it probably wasn't the same man after all.

Cloud reached out his hand and gently placed it on Sephiroth's bicep, offering him comfort which Sephiroth accepted. They finished their drinks and stood, ready to give Tifa any help she needed in the bar.

– – – – – – – – – – –

It took two days for Genesis to wake up. When he wandered down the stairs, he found Sephiroth and Cloud in the corner of the bar. Cloud was lay across one of the bench seats, his head in Sephiroth's lap. The younger man was idly running his hands through Cloud's hair while reading a book, flipping the pages with a deft flick of his thumb. All in all, it was a rather domestic scene.

“Well... this is unexpected...” Genesis remarked, catching their attention as he strode towards them. The blond sat up and wandered off, Genesis watching him go with a calculating expression. He took a chair from a nearby table and sat on it backwards, leaning over the back of the chair so he could regard Sephiroth with curiosity. “Who is that?” He asked.

“Cloud.” Sephiroth placed a bookmark between two pages before closing the book and setting it aside, giving his once friend his undivided attention.

“Never thought I'd see you be that.... close to someone.” Genesis looked over his shoulder at Cloud, who was gathering items on a tray. The blond was small, but well built. His sleeveless shirt showed off well toned muscles that flexed easily with his movements. He was definitely attractive, Genesis admitted to himself, and Sephiroth could probably have done worse.

Sephiroth just shrugged, regaining Genesis' attention as the older man turned back to look at him. “It's been a while.” Sephiroth said simply. “All things change with time.” His eye left Genesis to flick up to the blond as he returned. Genesis didn't miss the way Sephiroth's expression softened, or the small smile that played at his rival's lips. So... it wasn't just sexual.

Cloud returned the soft smile and placed the tray on a nearby table. “Go easy on the coffee. It's strong.” He warned Genesis, preparing a cup for himself and Sephiroth with practised ease. These two had been around each other for a long time. Just who was this mysterious blond that Sephiroth had apparently fallen for?

“Hmph.” Genesis flicked some of his hair from his eyes and helped himself. He was SOLDIER, coffee had barely any affect on him. There was no need to go easy on the stuff. On the tray was the coffee carafe, a jug of milk, mugs and a bowl of sugar. He poured himself a drink and sipped at it, a surprised look flickering on his face at the rich taste and sudden buzz on his tongue. This was no ordinary coffee, the dark liquid was actually having an affect on him after only one sip. He took another, this time concentrating on the taste. There was something in it, something familiar, but he couldn't place it. Still, it was good.

“It's designed to bypass SOLDIER enhancements.” Sephiroth told him, smirking lightly over his own cup. Cloud sat next to him and he automatically moved his cup to his other hand to let the blond lean against him.

“Genesis,” Cloud was speaking now, regarding Genesis with curiosity as he took his place beside Sephiroth, almost as though it was the most natural position in the world for him to be in. “How did you get here?”

“I don't know.” The red head put his coffee down and looked at the others with a small shrug. “One minute I was watching the Puppy take on Angeal, the next I was in a field of flowers.” He hadn't even been able to see the end to the fight. He could only imagine how it had gone. His friend had been long past the point of salvation, believing himself a monster. Angeal had had no intention of walking away from that fight.

“The Promised Land.” Cloud told him, pulling him out of his musings. He gave Cloud a disbelieving look. The promised land? Wasn't that a place of legend? “The place between life and death.” Cloud added. Genesis' expression turned to one of guarded curiosity. Did the blond truly believe in all of that? That didn't seem like the sort of thing that Sephiroth would be interested in in a partner.

“There was a woman there. She told me to find this bar and then I woke up in a church.” He said slowly, wondering what Cloud would make of that. In his deluded state, Genesis had initially believed her to be an aspect of the goddess, there to take him to the next life. Once he'd woken and regained his senses, he'd dismissed the thought. But was that something that Cloud would believe in?

A soft smile found its way onto Cloud's face. “Did she have long, brown hair?” He asked and Genesis nodded, wondering if he had seen her too.

“Then she sent you to us.” Sephiroth had an air of curiosity about him, “Though I wonder why?” So Sephiroth had met her too then? Who was she? If Cloud was to be believed, somebody with great power, who could cross the realms between life and death.

“That would be one of my questions.” Genesis was still regarding them, keeping his thoughts to himself for now. “Among many.”

“We may have answers.” Sephiroth had an odd tone in his voice, one that Genesis hadn't heard in a very long time. Guarded, that was normal, but there was a hint of something else in his voice. Something that he hadn't had around Genesis in a long time. Was it hope? Tentative at best, but yes, it was hope. What was Sephiroth hoping for?

“Where am I?” First thing first, find out the basics.

“The city of Edge.” Cloud told him, unhelpfully. Genesis had never heard of it before. “Built on the outskirts of the ruins of Midgar.” The blond continued, answering very little and bringing up more questions. “The bar is called 7th Heaven.” Perhaps the most useless piece of information yet. Genesis didn't care what the _bar_ was called, he just wanted to know where he was and the blond was being less than helpful in that matter.

“How did Midgar get ruined?” He'd seen it. After waking up in the church, he'd stumbled outside and seen the destruction and debris. Something big must have happened, and some time ago. How long had he been... away?

“A meteor landed on it.” Cloud told him simply. “Ten or so years ago.”

A meteor. Right. Because that was a normal thing to have happen and totally didn't need any more explanation than that. He looked at Sephiroth, wondering if his friend's lover had lost his mind. The silver haired man just shrugged and nodded, confirming Cloud's story. A meteor. Had landed. On Midgar. Apparently he'd missed a lot. And he'd been gone for at least ten years.

There was a small silence then, as Genesis absorbed this information.

“Who are you?” Technically, he already had Cloud's name, and he knew that he was Sephiroth's lover. But other than that, he knew nothing of the man. Could his words even be trusted? His eyes glowed with the power of mako, so the man was SOLDIER, but that didn't necessarily mean he was trustworthy. Genesis _was_ technically an enemy of Shinra now.

“Cloud.” He said simply, and Genesis rolled his eyes. He knew _that_. “SOLDIER, First Class.” He knew that too. Or at least, the SOLDIER bit. First Class was a bit of a surprise. When he'd left, there had only been the original trio. He'd heard that Angeal's puppy had gained the rank, but aside from him, there had been nobody else even close to attaining the rank. The only other way people had got there had been through the science department.

“What was your project letter?” If the man had been a project of the science department, he would have a letter. There was no guarantee that he'd know it, or even that it existed, but there was the chance. There was even the possibility that Cloud was a result of either projects S or G. He was definitely old enough.

“C.” The answer came easily. Apparently the man knew, and he knew what that entailed. More surprising was the fact that Cloud didn't seem discomforted by the idea that he'd come from an experiment. Genesis still hadn't come to terms with the idea, and god knows how Sephiroth had reacted. Probably burned something down.

“A lot has happened since you left.” Sephiroth brought attention back to himself. “It's been a very long time.” He was regarding Genesis with a strange look and after a moment he moved forward, his unloved hand reaching to touch an exposed area of flesh on Genesis' arm. He ignored the instinctual flinch he provoked from Genesis and pressed his fingers against his skin, eyes closing, leaving the redhead feeling distinctly uncomfortable. It had been a long time since he'd been touched by anyone, and he still wasn't sure how much he trusted Sephiroth. Their last encounters hadn't exactly been friendly. He watched Sephiroth carefully, ready to react if he had to.

After a moment, Sephiroth frowned and opened his eyes. He turned to Cloud, “His resonance is off...” He muttered, “He's not from here...”

What the hell was that about? Genesis snatched his arm back as if burned and opened his mouth to demand answers, but he was being ignored, Sephiroth too caught up in the blond to spare him a glance.

“I need to go to the church.” Sephiroth stood. “Come with me.” He gave the order to Genesis, moving behind the bar to fetch the car keys.

Still wanting answers, and not having anywhere else to be, Genesis found himself following his once friend out of the door, holding his tongue for now.

– – – – – – – –

The church was exactly as Cloud remembered. They hadn't come here as often as he would have liked, but they _had_ visited it a few times since returning to this timeline. This was still the place where the planet could be heard loudest, and Sephiroth had once told Cloud that it made him uncomfortable, hearing the planet so clearly.

But that was probably why Sephiroth had felt the need to go here. Genesis followed them inside, and Cloud couldn't help but feel like he was out of place. This was a sacred place to Cloud, and only a few were welcomed. It was odd seeing someone new here. He didn't know what to make of the man, and his poorly disguised distrust of him didn't help things. They were strangers, the only things they had in common were a long defunct rank and the silver haired man in front of them.

Cloud made a decision to keep Genesis within his line of sight at all times. The man had betrayed Sephiroth once, and Cloud wasn't about to let him do it again. From the look that the other gave him, he knew what he was doing, but didn't resist.

Sephiroth had sat in front of the small garden and closed his eyes, Genesis stood a few steps behind him but he wasn't watching his friend. Instead, the red-head’s eyes were trained on the Buster Sword, a small scowl on his face. Cloud couldn't help but feel a little guilty when he looked at the monument. The Buster Sword had been the symbol of Angeal's honour and dreams and Cloud had allowed it to rust while using it as a grave marker for a man that had never been buried. At the time, it had been the only way he could think to honour the fallen hero, it was only later that he realised that the church was a better place for it. _Her_ church.

He pushed the guilt away and knelt beside Sephiroth, hands automatically going to tend to the flowers. There was no need to feel guilty about doing what he had thought was right, so very long ago.

Someone had obviously been here, Marlene probably, there was very little to do in the garden. The weeds had been pulled and the flowers pruned. The soil was just the right level of damp. There really wasn't much to do, but Cloud decided to check everything anyway. He needed to keep busy. Even while he moved, he kept his senses on Genesis, still not trusting the newcomer.

“What are you doing?” Genesis asked Sephiroth eventually, a bored and distrustful tone in his voice.

“He's praying.” Cloud told him, looking over his shoulder. He shrugged at the other SOLDIER's disbelieving look. “Since Jenova is gone, he can hear the planet now.” Going back to the flowers, Cloud kept his voice quiet and tried to explain a few things. “You're not from this world.” He told him, “You're from another one. The one Sephiroth is from. We thought he was the only one who could cross over with me.”

That... was badly explained. But without telling Genesis the _entire_ story, that was as much as Cloud could sum it up.

“The woman you saw, the one who brought you here. She was a Cetra. She had a connection to the Planet. But... I didn't think she had the power to bring people across...” Then again, hadn't it been Aerith that had pushed him when he'd first gone to Sephiroth's world? He remembered her voice, the hands on his shoulders. Was she the one who sent him there in the first place? Or was she simply an avatar for the planet?

“You're from both.” Sephiroth spoke, his words quiet and his eyes still closed. “Your body is from this world but... You mind is from mine...” He opened his eyes again and stood, turning to Genesis. “The Genesis of this world was too far gone into insanity... Aerith pulled your mind from my world before the insanity gripped you.” He was frowning, still listening, “And put you in your body here...”

“That makes absolutely no sense.” Genesis was staring at Sephiroth as if he'd lost his mind. Cloud couldn't really blame him. It was a lot to take in, and it really _did_ sound fanciful. If he hadn't lived through stranger things, he probably wouldn't have believed it either.

Before he could say anything else, Sephiroth suddenly moved. He stood and marched up to Genesis, wordlessly picking him up. He slung the surprised man over his shoulder and turned around.

“What the-” Genesis started to wriggle, to try to get out of Sephiroth's grip, but the taller man held fast, wading in to the water in the centre of the garden. With a flourish, he leaned forward and deposited the man into the small pool. Cloud had to hold back a surprised laugh. What was the man doing?

Spluttering and completely drenched, Genesis looked up and glared at Sephiroth. He looked like he was about to say something when he paused, his enraged expression turning first to confusion, then to wonder as he looked down at his body.

Where the water was touching him, a green glow was forming. It was familiar to Cloud, it was the same glow that had indicated that Geostigma was being healed. He'd seen it many times, first on himself, then on the children on Advent Day. Did Genesis have Geostigma? Cloud hadn't seen any of the symptoms on the man, but that didn't always mean it wasn't there. Cloud had done a pretty good job of hiding his own illness from those around him.

“The water will heal your degradation.” Sephiroth was still speaking quietly, backing out of the pool and climbing back onto dry land. “Whatever the you from this timeline did, he forestalled it, but didn't completely eradicate it.”

Cloud watched in curiosity as the glow around Genesis grew brighter, indicating that it was working. How similar was Genesis' degradation to Geostigma? Apparently it was close enough that Aerith's water would heal both. Cloud briefly wondered what he could have changed if he'd have taken some of Aerith's water with him to the other timeline. In the days following Advent Day, Cloud had habitually carried a few vials with him on the off chance he found someone who hadn't been in the rain and needed healing, but after a year or so, he'd stopped carrying it. By that point, either the Geostigma had been healed, or the unfortunate victim had died. There was no point taking the water with him.

Genesis was still blinking in bewilderment as he looked up at Sephiroth. “All this time,” He muttered, “And I could have been healed by taking a bath?”

Sephiroth gave a small chuckle and a shake of his head, “This water is infused with the lifestream.” He told him, “And blessed by both a living Cetra, and one that has rejoined the Planet.”

Blessed by... Now Cloud was lost. He knew that Aerith had produced the water from the lifestream, and that it had healing properties that nobody had been able to quite figure out, but did a blessing really make all that difference? And if Aerith had died _before_ producing the water, how had it been blessed by a living Cetra?

“You blessed it?” Cloud asked, eyebrows raised. Sephiroth had shown a lot of hesitance in embracing his heritage, and had never seemed interested in anything to do with it. For him to bless the water...

Sephiroth nodded, still watching Genesis. “I told you once,” He said quietly, “That if I could find a way to help you, I would.”

Genesis nodded, finally looking up from the water. After a moment, he stood and waded his way out of the pool. “And you did.”

– – – – – – – – – –

Things were still awkward around Genesis. Cloud had no idea how to act around the man, and apparently it was mutual. Tifa had cleared out a storage room for Genesis to stay in, muttering something about Cloud bringing home strays, and Genesis had been staying with them for a few days now.

Tifa had enlisted Sephiroth's help to go shopping for supplies for the bar, leaving Cloud and Genesis alone. While she was willing to let Genesis stay with them until he could figure out his next move, she didn't exactly trust him. None of them did really.

So the two ex-SOLDIERs sat at either ends of the bar, sipping their respective drinks and all but ignoring each other for almost an hour before Genesis spoke.

“So... Sephiroth has taken a lover....?”

Cloud turned his head to look at the other SOLDIER and shrugged. “Yeah.” There was no reason to deny it, and even less of a reason to start a conversation about it. They fell into silence again.

“You don't say much, do you?” Genesis asked after a while, and Cloud just shrugged. Genesis made an irritated sound. “Here I am, trying to get to know the lover of my friend, and he won't say two words to me.” He muttered.

Cloud shrugged, “There's not much to say.” He didn't have any particular want to talk to this man. He didn't know him, and he definitely didn't want to have a heart to heart with him.

Genesis made an irritated sound and sighed. “Sephiroth doesn't _do_ lovers.” He said, “I tried to set him up for _years_ and he was never interested! So what makes you special? What made him want _you_?”

Was there a hint of jealousy in Genesis' voice? Cloud regarded the man for a moment. That would definitely explain some of the looks he'd been getting. Sephiroth had said that Genesis felt himself his rival, but maybe there had been more to it than that.

Again, Cloud shrugged, “I beat him in combat.” Because really, that _had_ been where it had all started. Their third sparing match. Cloud still remembered the look of surprise on Sephiroth's face as he'd held his blades against his skin.

It was almost like the look that Genesis was giving Cloud now. One of confused surprised. But unlike Sephiroth's expression that had held a hint of awe, Genesis was regarding him with suspicion. He didn't believe that Cloud could beat Sephiroth in a duel.

“You defeated the great Sephiroth?” Genesis' voice was dripping with disbelief, and for some reason, Cloud found that amusing. He shrugged yet again and turned back to his drink, finding a vague sense of enjoyment in irritating the man.

“A few times.” He admitted after a while. “I guess... he considers me an equal.”

Maybe that had been the wrong thing to say. Genesis' expression darkened and he became quiet. The wrong kind of quiet. The kind of quiet that had Cloud instantly on guard. He made an effort not to tense, keeping himself relaxed to portray an air of calm. But he was ready to move if he had to.

They sat there in silence for another half an hour, and Cloud vaguely wondered where Tifa and Sephiroth were. Shouldn't they be back by now? He reached into his pocket and fished out his PHS, checking for messages. There was nothing, but he didn't expect there to be. Sephiroth _hated_ shopping, and Tifa was probably dragging him to every shop she could.

He didn't have to wait much longer. After another ten minutes of stony silence, the door to the bar opened. Tifa and Sephiroth came in, followed by Marlene and Denzel. Cloud stood and went to help cart in the groceries.

“Did you buy the entire shop?” Cloud asked, looking at the shear amount of food that Tifa had purchased. She shook her head and shrugged.

“I'm feeding three SOLDIERs now.” She pointed out, “When you guys get hungry, you eat _everything_.” She did have a point. Cloud didn't get hungry often, and would generally have to remind himself to eat, but when he _did_ get hungry, it took a lot of food to fill him up. Sephiroth was much the same. Genesis was probably similar.

Together, they quickly brought the groceries in, and Tifa busied herself with putting the food away in various cupboards. Cloud left her to it, knowing that she was particular about where things went. Marlene and Denzel would be enough help.

Once the three non-SOLDIERs had left the bar proper, Genesis turned a calculating look on Sephiroth. “Cloud here says that he can best you in a fight.”

Sephiroth nodded. “He can.” He confirmed, moving behind the bar to pour himself a coffee.

Genesis was looking between them, a frown on his face, as if he didn't believe them. “Really now...” He went quiet for a moment, and Cloud simply watched him for a moment before letting out a sigh.

“Seph,” Sephiroth turned his attention to Cloud, and from the corner of his eye, Cloud saw Genesis' eyes narrow. Sephiroth had hated the nickname, but after weeks of being called it, he had grown to accept it. “It's been a while since our last spar.”

Sephiroth nodded from behind his coffee mug and turned to Genesis. “You want to watch.” It wasn't a question. He knew the answer. Genesis didn't believe that Cloud could win an honest match, and they were going to prove it to him.

– – – – – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm sorry to be the sort of person that asks this, but I could do with a little feedback. Are people still reading this? Still enjoying this? I have a plot now, and things are about to pick up. Also... Possibly a happy ending... 
> 
> Also, I haven't written Genesis in a LONG time. Please let me know how I'm doing? I know there's an entire chapter here where he doesn't quote Loveless, but trust me, he will..


	6. New Problems

They had decided to hold the sparing match outside of Edge - far outside of Edge. They had piled into Cloud's car and drove for almost an hour before he stopped the engine. “Here should do.” He said. They were in the Midgar wastes, far away from anybody. They didn't want the possibility of someone seeing them and getting the wrong idea, or even worse, getting hurt.

Reeve's story about Sephiroth being a clone had disseminated throughout the population and was widely accepted. It was more believable than Cloud being seduced by a once more resurrected Sephiroth, or at least, it was preferred to be more believable. But Cloud wasn't convinced that the story would stop someone from panicking if he saw Sephiroth and Cloud fighting.

And so, the three ex-SOLDIERs found themselves in the Midgar Wastes. Cloud was actually looking forward to the match, it had been a very long time since he and Sephiroth had fought, and the thrill of battling with a challenging opponent was always something he looked forward to.

When he drew his weapon, he found himself once again doing the salute – his sword held before his face for a few seconds before being lowered – and he caught the sound of Genesis sucking in a breath. It was a habit he'd picked up from Zack, a very long time ago, and upon hearing the story of it, it was a habit he'd decided to keep. He hadn't known Angeal well, but he was important to both Zack and Sephiroth. If this was something small that he could do to honour him, he would do it.

Across from him, Sephiroth gave a small nod, and the fight began. Cloud couldn't tell you who moved first, or how fast they were going, but from the moment their swords connected, he felt the familiar adrenaline rush course through his veins and couldn't stop the grin on his face.

Their battle was a long one. Normally their sparring matches lasted minutes, but this time, this time they were savouring it. They clashed and parried, dancing with a grace that only well seasoned swordsmen had. Blows were blocked and dodged and neither of them landed a hit for the longest time, but both were having the time of their lives.

Cloud wasn't keeping track of the minutes, but the ache in his arms and thighs told him it had been a while. He flashed a grin at Sephiroth and the man smiled back, staring at Cloud for a fraction of a second too long and losing his concentration. The next thing Cloud knew, he was kneeling over Sephiroth, his blade to the man's throat. Masamune skidded to a stop just outside of reach and both men were panting with exhaustion.

He couldn't keep the grin off his face, but he didn't move. He wouldn't move, not until Sephiroth said the magic word.

“Yield.” There it was. The moment that word was spoken, Cloud removed his blade and leaned down, his lips touching those of his lover in a harsh, passionate kiss, high on adrenaline and his adoration for this man. Sephiroth kissed him back just as enthusiastically, leaning up into the touch as his hands made their way to Cloud's waist.

He broke away when he heard a slow clapping behind him, reminding him that they were not alone and Cloud flushed deeply.

“You let him win.” Genesis accused Sephiroth, stepping lightly towards them. He swooped down to retrieve Sephiroth's blade and offered it to him.

Cloud leaned back far enough for Sephiroth to prop himself up on his elbows, but continued to straddle him.

Sephiroth shook his head with a chuckle. “Not once.” He told his old friend, taking the hilt of his weapon with a nod.

“You were distracted.” Genesis continued, looking down at the pair as Cloud rolled off Sephiroth and stood, stretching his muscles out.

Sephiroth just shrugged and followed Cloud's lead, standing slowly and warming down. “It's difficult not to be.” He told Genesis, but his eyes were trained on Cloud, his expression soft. “When he looks at me like that.”

“Like what?” Cloud was honestly not aware of looking at Sephiroth in any particular way. All he'd done was smile, maybe grin a little. It had been _fun._ How was that enough to distract the legendary warrior? Genesis was also looking at Cloud.

“Like I'm the most important thing in your world.” Sephiroth's voice was soft, almost as if those words were for Cloud alone, not to be heard by anybody else. For a brief moment, it felt like they were alone, an entire world just for them and Cloud couldn't help the soft smile on his face as he shrugged, still stretching his limbs.

“You are.”

Cloud didn't have the chance to see the surprised look on Genesis' face, or Sephiroth's answering smile. The ground beneath them began to rumble, then shake, swaying like a boat on rough seas. Cloud didn't see Genesis stumble, or Sephiroth's look of confusion. The moment the ground started to shake, Cloud's eyes rolled in to the back of his head and he dropped like a stone.

– – – – – – – –

He awoke in the back of the car that was quickly speeding along. His muscles ached, almost as bad as they had after his first exposure to Hojo's experimentation. The pain was bone deep, sapping the strength from his muscles, and he couldn't hold back the groan as the sensation flooded him.

“Cloud.” Sephiroth was beside him, leaning over him with concern and Cloud blinked his eyes open to attempt to reassure his partner. It didn't seem to work, Sephiroth's concerned expression deepened and he reached a hand out to gently brush over Cloud's forehead.

“What happened?” Cloud asked, struggling to sit up. After a moment, Sephiroth helped him, rearranging him awkwardly so they were side by side rather than Cloud being sprawled on Sephiroth's lap.

“You-” Sephiroth's reply was cut off by the car jerking roughly. Cloud had to take a deep breath and swallow down his nausea at the sudden movement, grimacing as his motion sickness reared its ugly head.

When the vehicle came to a stop, Genesis swung around to glare at the two of them. “What the hell is going on!?” He asked, “First the world starts shaking, then you collapse,” He pointed to Sephiroth, “and you pass out! What the hell!?”

“You collapsed?” Cloud's attention was now fully on Sephiroth. Him passing out was something that apparently happened randomly, but Sephiroth hadn't been displaying any signs of ill health recently.

Sephiroth grimaced, “The Planet.” He told Cloud, “It _screamed_.”

That was definitely not good. On the list of things that were good, this was definitely not on it. The Planet didn't have a habit of _screaming_. When she did, it meant something was wrong, terribly wrong.

“The hell does _that_ mean?” Genesis was still glaring at them from the front seat and Cloud sighed and shook his head.

“Get us back to Edge.” He ordered, “We can figure it out there.”

After a few moments of hesitation, and another glare, Genesis turned around and the car began to move again. Cloud kept his eyes on the landscape, concentrating on keeping his motion sickness to a minimum.

It didn't take them long to get back to the bar, and Cloud was just glad to be out of the car. Sephiroth had to help Cloud walk – he was still a little unsteady and his muscles were still screaming at him.

The bar was packed. Every seat was taken by someone, and they all seemed to be injured in one way or another. Lucky, it seemed that there were no serious injuries, aside from the broken bottles that had fallen from the shelves on the bar. Obviously the earthquake had been felt here too.

Marlene and Tifa were moving from one person to another, administering first aid to those who needed it. Marlene was the first to catch sight of them, and she let out a small, scared sound. She rushed forward and pushed Cloud towards a table. “Sit.” She ordered before running her hands over his head to check for wounds. “Where are you hurt?”

Cloud shook his head, and gently pushed her hands away, “I'm fine.” He told her, only to receive a glare in response. “I didn't get hurt in the quake. I can wait.” He told her instead. She looked at him for a moment before nodding and turning to the other two SOLDIERs.

“You got first aid training?” She asked, and the pair nodded, “Good.” She thrust her first aid kit towards them, “Then you can help out.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a green ball of materia before moving on to the next person, casting cure where it was needed.

Without hesitation, Sephiroth moved to help and Genesis followed his lead, patching up whoever they could. It only took an hour or so for everybody to be seen and most of them left after being looked over.

Eventually, the bar was empty of anybody who didn't belong there, and Cloud found himself once again face to face with a vaguely pissed off Marlene.

“Right. What happened?” She asked, taking the first aid kit from Genesis and rummaging through it for a moment.

Cloud opened his mouth to respond but suddenly something was thrust into his mouth. “Wh-”

“Close your mouth.” Marlene ordered and Cloud found himself doing as he was told, closing his mouth around the thermometer that she'd put there.

At sixteen, Marlene was becoming a strong woman. She was reminding Cloud of Tifa, already taking on the mother chocobo roll. He had a feeling that she could be just as deadly if he upset her too much. Just like Tifa.

After a moment, Marlene took the thermometer from Cloud's mouth and looked at it with a frown. “You have a fever...” She told Cloud, reaching forward to place the back of her hand on Cloud's forehead. “When was the last time you had a fever?” She asked.

“Geostigma.” Cloud hadn't even been sick since Geostigma, let alone a fever. That had been... Ten years ago. Marlene nodded and pulled another item from the bag at her feet. She lifted it and shone a light into Cloud's eyes. He automatically recoiled before opening his eyes and letting her look closely.

“Are you studying medicine?” Genesis' asked curiously, watching the young woman work.

Marlene nodded, “Yeah. Two years now.” She told him, moving to take a hold of Cloud's wrist. She looked down at their hands and watched her watch for a moment, counting. “I'll be qualified in another three.” She continued.

“I thought you were training with the Turks...” Sephiroth muttered, watching the girl.

“I'm going to be working in low income areas.” Marlene told him, looking up from where she was crouched in front of Cloud, “I need to know how to protect myself.”

“That makes sense.” Genesis said with a nod.

“You didn't have the others teach you?” Sephiroth asked and Marlene smiled at him with a shrug.

“Some.”

Cloud hadn't noticed, but it seemed that neither of them had left his side since the bar had emptied. Surely they could be doing something else, rather than hovering around him. “Why don't you two give Tifa a hand cleaning up?” He suggested, feeling a little self concious. Marlene was still checking his vital signs, and it made him feel smaller than he really was. He _hated_ being sick.

Sephiroth seemed to understand. He leaned down and kissed Cloud gently on the top of his head before dragging Genesis away.

Cloud found himself blushing when his eyes met Marlene's widening ones. Her face split into a grin and Cloud sighed, knowing that she was about to tease him. “Don't.” He warned her, and for once, she actually listened to him.

“Do you have a headache?” She asked instead, back to being professional.

“A little.” He answered, finding no point in lying. Doctors had never actually been much of a help for him, his enhancements made things difficult, but Cloud knew that this was as much for Marlene as it was for himself.

“Have you fainted like this before?”

Cloud hated that word. Fainted. It sounded so... pathetic and weak. But it was accurate. He nodded, realising that Marlene was still waiting for an answer. “A little over a week ago.”

Marlene nodded, “That was when you slept for two days?” She asked and Cloud nodded, “You didn't have a fever that time... How long were you unconscious this time?”

“Not sure. Less than an hour, I think.”

Marlene nodded again, looking closer at Cloud. “Well... Your eyes haven't changed any more.” She told him, her smile seemingly forced, but pleasant none the less. “You should rest.” She told him, “Make sure to drink lots of water. Your fever isn't high, but if it gets any higher, call me.” She stood, hand checking Cloud's forehead again.

After a moment, she leaned forward and put her arms around Cloud. Cloud returned the hug, no longer allowing himself to take her presence forgranted. When she pulled back, he smiled at her. “Thank you, Marlene.”

“Just make sure you do as I say.” She demanded, standing up straight and putting her hands on her hips. He smiled as he remembered her lecturing him from as young as six and couldn't help but chuckle. He gave her a small salute and she nodded, satisfied. “Good. Now go to bed. I'll send Sephiroth up with some water and soup.” She leaned down to pick up her first aid kit. “I don't think there's any point in giving you any medicine. The mako would burn it all before it could be help.”

Cloud nodded and stood, grimacing as his muscles protested. He stretched lightly and slowly made his way to his room, fully intending on doing what Marlene had told him to do. He was tired, and was actually beginning to feel ill.

He had been curled up in bed for less than ten minutes when he heard footsteps approaching. The bedroom door opened and Sephiroth stepped in, placing a tray on the bedside table before climbing into bed beside Cloud and gathering him in his arms. “Marlene said you need to drink your soup and sleep.”

Cloud nodded, moving closer to the heat that Sephiroth was providing. He let Sephiroth help him sit up and leaned against him while he ate.

Sephiroth's worry was obvious. The man was holding him close as if afraid to let him go. “I'm alright.” Cloud tried to reassure him, but Sephiroth shook his head.

“No,” He said quietly, “You're not. You passed out again Cloud.” He kept his voice quiet, afraid. “You have a fever...” He shook his head, “ _You_. You have a fever. Cloud, you _don't_ get sick.”

“I do. Sometimes...” Cloud was very bad at reassuring people, but he had to try. He didn't like people being worried about him, especially not Sephiroth. He put his bowl down and snuggled closer to Sephiroth, placing his cheek against his shoulder. “Not very often, but I do...”

He hadn't been sick in ten years. Until today, he wasn't entirely sure if he _could_ still get sick. Since arriving in Sephiroth's world, Cloud wasn't even able to be poisoned with mako, let alone anything else. He doubted that whatever was making him sick was a common bug. It was more likely to have something to do with the planet, knowing his luck.

“Cloud...” Sephiroth was still speaking quietly, and his arms tightened around Cloud.

Cloud shook his head, “I'll rest tonight.” He told Sephiroth, relaxing against him and closing his eyes. “And if I'm not any better tomorrow, we'll go to the church. Aerith's water is the best elixir I've ever encountered. And if that doesn't work, you can talk to the Planet and see if it's her fault.”

He could feel Sephiroth nod and pull the blankets over them as they settled down in the bed. It seemed that Sephiroth wasn't going to leave Cloud at all, and that suited Cloud just fine.

– – – – – – – – – –

Cloud was actually doing better the next morning. He wasn't feeling cold anymore, and Marlene had confirmed that his fever had gone. That didn't seem to help Sephiroth relax, however, he was hovering, never leaving Cloud alone for longer than a bathroom break. It was oddly adorable, but starting to get irritating.

“Seph...” It had taken Cloud a long time to get used to calling him that, and even longer for Sephiroth to accept the nickname. “Stop hovering...” Cloud was somewhat glad that he didn't get sick often if this was how Sephiroth reacted.

“No.” Came the simple answer and Cloud let out a sigh. Behind them, Genesis snorted with amusement.

“I'm fine!” Cloud tried to reassure his partner, but Sephiroth just shrugged.

Thankfully, Cloud was saved by Tifa. She came out of the back room with the phone and handed it to Cloud. “Reeve.”

Cloud accepted the phone with a small frown, “Reeve.”

“Cloud. We have a small situation. Last night, a squad of Shinra Troopers were found in the Myrthril Mines. We've brought them here for debriefing, but I believe that they're from the alternate world.”

“What makes you think that?” Cloud asked, curiously. If Reeve thought that these men were from Sephiroth's reality, he probably had a good reason. The fact that Shinra had disbanded a decade ago, and that there were no troops left in this reality wouldn't have been good enough. They couldn't discount the idea of Shinra fanatics trying to restart things.

“One of them is Cloud Strife.” Reeve replied and Cloud paused. That... was a good reason to believe that they were from the other world.

“I'll be right there.” He needed to check this out himself. Reeve would understand that – that was probably why he had called him in the first place. He hung up the phone and turned to his friends. “We need to go to the WRO.” He told them, standing.

Sephiroth looked like he was about to object and Cloud gave him a look that stopped him in his tracks. The younger man just sighed and nodded.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your feedback, and for being patient. 
> 
> I'm sorry that this chapter took a little longer than usual to post - medical problems happened. 
> 
> As a bonus, tomorrow I will be posting another side story with ideas that my medicated mind came up with. I would do it tonight, but more medical stuff has come up. 
> 
> I also have some of the next chapter written, and hopefully will be able to post it sooner rather than later.


	7. New Siblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud, meet Cloud.

The WRO headquarters was, as always, bustling with activity. Cloud lead Sephiroth through the maze of corridors and to Reeve's office. His friend was waiting for them, and gestured down a hallway. Together they silently headed for a conference room. Inside, Cloud could see a squad of six men seated around the table. None of them were wearing their helmets, and one man's blond hair stuck out like a sore thumb.

Cloud paused, looking in. While it was obvious that there was a younger version of himself waiting in that room, he had to be sure that these were _his_ men. He figured out the easiest way, and simply walked into the room.

Instantly, the men were on their feet, stood at attention. “General Storm, sir!” One man greeted him. A quick look at his uniform informed Cloud of his rank as squad leader.

“At ease.” He ordered, making a distinct effort not to stare at his younger counterpart.

He'd spent five years in the other reality, granted, three of them he had been... unavailable in one way or another, but for the other two... he'd made a point of avoiding being around his younger self. While the young man was no doubt aware of his existence – and their obvious resemblance – he'd wanted to keep the boy as far away from his own drama as he could.

It was also somewhat disconcerting to be around him. He only wondered how Sephiroth had felt being around Zeke so often.

“Someone will debrief you.” He told the men. “Until then, stay put.”

He didn't wait for them to acknowledge the order before walking back out of the room and joining Reeve and Sephiroth. “They're definitely from Seph's world.” He told them, turning to Reeve. “Send someone in to debrief them. Make sure they're told about the alternate worlds and everything that happened in this one from Nibelheim to now.” He hesitated for a moment before adding, “Send someone gentle.” He said quietly, “Strife is from Nibelheim.”

Reeve nodded. He hadn't actually needed the reminder, he knew well enough where Cloud was from, and how the news could be traumatic for the younger version of him.

Cloud knew that Reeve would understand why he didn't want to be the one to do the debriefing. Reliving trauma wasn't exactly something that he wanted to do on a regular basis and having someone else explain things would be easier for everyone involved. The last thing they needed was for Cloud to have one of his anxiety attacks in front of the troops. Somehow, he'd managed to keep those out of the public eye in both worlds, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Still, he needed to know exactly what was said, and how things went. He briefly thought of sitting in, or sitting somewhere that he could hear them, but decided against it. He didn't want to have to see his younger self receive the news of the burning of Nibelheim. He didn't want to have to hear when the boy was told about the horrors of that day, about the fact that his family, his friends, everybody in that town were gone. All but one.

Instead, he decided to simply get the reports from Reeve afterwards.

“Lets get some lunch.” He suggested to Sephiroth.

– – – – – – – – –

They found a cafe not too far away from the WRO headquarters. It was small, but in a nice way. Cloud led them to a table and sat, scanning through the menu.

“What do you think we should do with them?” He asked Sephiroth.

“They're your men.” Sephiroth pointed out, leaving the decision to Cloud.

After Sephiroth had taken over Shinra he'd rearranged things. While Cloud had been in his coma, Zack had been left in charge of the general army, including infantrymen and new recruits. When Cloud had woken up, he'd retired to concentrate on his new family and Cloud had taken up the role. Sephiroth had retained command of SOLDIER, which had become nothing more than an elite rank, now that the enhancements had been nullified.

So the infantrymen _were_ Cloud's men. He _was_ in charge of what happened to them, and he knew that Reeve would follow his lead on this one.

He thought about it for a moment before sighing softly. He shook his head. “I have no idea... we can't have Shinra troops running around, it'll cause issues... But I'll talk to Reeve about getting them some lodgings. They might even be able to integrate into the WRO military, if they want to...”

Sephiroth nodded, and the waitress arrived to take their orders. When she left again, Sephiroth turned to Cloud. “We should find out what has been happening in their world, since we left.” While they were Cloud's men, they were a part of Sephiroth's company. The man had put a lot of effort into restructuring Shinra into New Shinra. A new company that worked _for_ the people, rather than against them. It made sense that he'd want to know what was happening in his absence.

“That's assuming that they didn't come through at the same time as us. At least from their end.” Cloud pointed out.

“Strife wasn't scheduled for another mission for four days after we left.” Sephiroth told him and Cloud stared at him for a moment.

“You kept track of my men?” He asked, not quite sure what to make of that, but Sephiroth shook his head.

“Just that one.” He gave Cloud a small smile. “I know that you wanted to protect him from your experiences. I started watching over him when you died.”

Cloud nodded. That made sense. And it was oddly... sweet. He smiled softly at Sephiroth, reminded once again just how much this man cared for him. He reached over the table and gently took Sephiroth's hand. “Thank you.”

– – – – – – – – – – –

The debriefing took around two hours. By the time Cloud's phone rang, they had already been on their way back to headquarters to see how things were going. Once they arrived, Reeve handed Cloud a stack of files.

“I've organised some temporary lodgings.” He told Cloud, “A room in the barracks. Strife has requested a meeting with you and Tifa after hearing what happened...”

Cloud nodded. That was understandable. After finding out that your entire town, bar two people, had been destroyed, it made sense to want to connect to the two people that were left. The two people that had actually been there and seen what had happened. He probably had a lot of questions, and Cloud and Tifa were the only ones who had real answers.

But could he have that meeting? After avoiding the young man for so long, could Cloud sit with him and have an actual conversation? It would be awkward, of course, but didn't the boy deserve at least that much? Cloud knew how disconcerting it was to be flung into another timeline, and he'd been through stranger things. He could only imagine what his counterpart was going through.

He hesitated for a moment before giving Tifa a call. He wasn't the only person involved anymore, and she deserved a say in it too.

She picked up after the first ring. “Cloud?” He could forgive her confusion, and the slight worry in her voice. It was very rare that he called her, after all.

“Tifa. Have you been told of the situation?” First, he had to know what she knew, and fill in the blanks. Suddenly declaring that he was going to be bringing another version of him home would probably not be for the best. Then again, it wasn't like he'd given her warning the last few times.

“About the troops?” She asked, not waiting for Cloud to give her an answer before continuing. “Reeve told me they were from Seph's world.”

“Yes.” He confirmed, “One of them is Cloud Strife... They've been debriefed on what happened in this world... he wants to meet with us.”

Tifa was quiet for a moment before she gave a small laugh. “You're actually warning me before bringing someone strange home?”

“I figured I should... Now that I have the option...”

“Bring him home.” Tifa told him, “I've made Nibel Stew.”

He couldn't help but smile at that. Nibel Stew was the one thing he knew how to cook. Everyone in Nibelheim knew how to cook it, it was a staple of their diet. But since moving to Midgar, and then to Edge, Cloud hadn't had it very often. He was looking forward to it.

“We'll be there soon.” He told her, and hung up the phone. He turned back to Reeve. “Where is he?” He asked, and Reeve gestured in the direction of the conference room. Cloud nodded and made his way there.

The squad were still sitting around, discussing what they had been told, when he walked in. Once again, they were on their feet and standing to attention the moment he walked through the door. He shook his head. “I'm not a general here.” He told them, a small smile on his face. “No need for this.”

“Sir...” The squad leader spoke up hesitantly, “You're still _our_ general, sir...”

Cloud wasn't sure what to make of that, so he just smiled softly and shook his head. Instead of replying to them (because really, he had no idea _how_ to reply to them), he turned to his counterpart. “Tifa made stew.” He told him, “She's waiting... if you still wanted to come.”

The younger Cloud nodded, looking a little lost and Cloud gestured for the door. Hesitantly, the younger man followed him, leaving his squad behind.

“So... you're another me, sir?”

Cloud shrugged, “From another timeline.” He told the boy, “We had similar beginnings, and we're genetically the same...” Or at least, they were before Cloud's genes had been played with by a mad scientist. “But we're different people.”

Strife nodded slowly. “But you're... what I could have been?”

“I'm what you could have been, if your worst nightmares were real.” He stopped and turned to the boy, “I went though hell to be who I am now. I wouldn't wish that on anybody. You... You get to live the life I should have had.” The last thing he wanted was for the boy to feel like he'd missed out. He remembered being young, being a trooper and wishing for a life in SOLDIER. He remembered the disappointment and feeling pathetic when he didn't get in. He remembered feeling pathetic, staying in the military because he felt he had nowhere else to go.

But after living his life, after going through everything that had come next... He couldn't help but feel like this young man had been the lucky one. He hadn't had to watch his town burn, kill his hero. He hadn't been experimented on, hadn't had to watch Zack die, Aerith die. He hadn't gone through the trauma and horrors that Cloud had. At least, not first hand. Being in this world, his town _had_ burned. His mother _was_ dead. But he hadn't had to be there.

Cloud took a deep breath, pulling himself from his thoughts and pushing away the rising anxiety he always had when he thought about those things. His younger self was looking at him, pondering on things.

“They didn't go into details.” He told Cloud eventually. “They told us that Nibelheim burned. How and why. They said that you were taken by Hojo, but then they skipped to AVALANCHE blowing up a reactor...” He looked at the man. They were the same height, and Cloud briefly wondered just how old his counterpart was. “Hojo did something to you, didn't he?”

Cloud nodded. He didn't want to get into this here, so he started walking again. “Yes.” His tone spoke of finality. He wasn't going to go into details, and the younger man could hear that in that one word and didn't press for more.

They rounded the corner where Sephiroth and Reeve were waiting for them. He gave Sephiroth a smile, letting him know that he was alright, and the younger man gave a small nod, his eyes moving to Cloud's counterpart.

“We should find you something else to wear.” He told the trooper, looking at his uniform. “Shinra is not in good favour.”

“I should have something at home.” Cloud told them, “We should be able to get back to the bar without too many people seeing us.” They'd just put Strife in the back of the car. Sephiroth nodded in agreement and turned to leave, the others following behind.

“This is your car?” Strife asked when they got to the parking lot. He was looking at it with surprised eyes. Cloud wasn't entirely sure why the car was a surprise to him. “I thought you'd have something... fancier... You're a hero, right?”

A hero? Cloud thought about that for a moment and realised that yes, according to the vast majority of the population, he was a hero. He just shrugged. “It was practical.” He told the boy, unlocking the doors. “I don't need fancy.”

Beside him, Sephiroth snorted, “Tell that to your bike.”

“Fenrir's not _fancy_.” Cloud said defensively. “She's practical.”

Sephiroth just raised an eyebrow at him, still smirking with amusement. “ _She_ has individual compartments for your sword. All black and shiny.” His tone was teasing, but Cloud couldn't help but take the bait.

“Have you _seen_ my sword? It makes sense to have a compartment for each part. And she's not _all_ black!” Even though his tone was defensive, he was smiling. His bike _was_ a little ridiculous. But it was _his_ bike.

“Mhmm. And it's so big that you have to be enhanced to ride. Not that you'll let anybody else ride it.”

They piled into the car while they bickered, and Cloud noticed the bewildered look on Strife's face. That's right... Sephiroth was probably still his hero.

“Nobody else _can_ ride her.” He muttered, finding himself pouting slightly.

“I could.”

“Nope.” Cloud shook his head. In reality, he probably _would_ let Sephiroth drive his bike, but he was actually having fun bickering like this.

“I see.” Sephiroth said slowly, tone amused, “So you'll entrust me with the lives of your children, but wont let me ride your bike?”

“The kids can defend themselves.” Cloud pointed out.

Via the rear-view mirror, Cloud could see the wide eyed look that his younger doppelganger was giving them, looking more and more bewildered as they drove along. His eyes were trained on the two men in the front, looking very lost. He held back a chuckle and shook his head.

They arrived at the bar a moment later, and piled out of the car. The closed sign was up, but Cloud ignored it as they walked in.

“Oh, so you wont let me near the bike because it's _defenceless_?”

Cloud just rolled his eyes and shook his head. “It took me _months_ to build her.”

“Give it up.” Tifa greeted them from behind the bar. “He'll never let you ride it.” Her tone was amused as she watched them take seats at a table. “Dinner's nearly ready.” She told them, disappearing into the kitchen.

Still chuckling, Cloud stood and made his way behind the bar. “What do you want, kid?” He asked.

“Uh... A beer?”

Cloud couldn't help but feel a little sorry for his younger self. The boy looked absolutely overwhelmed. He _had_ been given a lot of information today, and very little of it could be considered good. Cloud picked a beer at random and poured a coffee for himself and Sephiroth before joining them at the table.

“Thank you sir.” Strife muttered, taking his beer with shaking hands.

“Cloud.” Cloud corrected.

“Yes sir?”

“No... I mean call me Cloud...” Okay, that could be a little weird, he supposed, calling someone else by your own name. It wasn't like 'Cloud' was a common name, after all. “I'm not a general here. The New Shinra military doesn't exist here. The Shinra military doesn't exist here.” He reminded the kid. “Which reminds me...” He stood and wandered up to his room, returning after a moment with a pair of jeans and a plain shirt. “You should change out of the uniform. The boots should still be fine.” He was still wearing something similar, after all.

Once the trooper had left, practically fleeing after Cloud told him where the bathroom was, Cloud sighed and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. “I think we're overwhelming him.”

“He asked for this.” Sephiroth pointed out, and Cloud could hear him move into position behind him. After a second, strong fingers were working on the knots in his shoulder muscles and Cloud let out a soft, appreciative sigh.

“This is weird.” He muttered and Sephiroth chuckled.

“So was meeting Zeke. You get used to it. Eventually, you wont even see the similarities between you.”

“How though? The first fourteen years of our lives _were_ the same. Up until I came by and started screwing with the timeline, we _were_ the same person. We lived in the same house, we had the same mother... the same experiences...”

“That sounds like you're describing a brother.” Sephiroth said simply. “Perhaps if you thought of him that way, things might be easier.”

Sephiroth did have a point. Cloud thought on it for a moment.

“You know.. I do actually have a brother.” Cloud told him. It had been a shock to find out, and it wasn't something that he actually wanted to admit. The fingers needing the muscles in his shoulders stopped for a moment, and Cloud took it as an indication that Sephiroth wanted him to explain. He'd never told his partner about his family. He'd never told anyone about it. “After Shinra fell, Reeve found some paperwork. Turns out, my father didn't die when I was a kid. He had a wife and a son in Midgar.”

“Have you met them?” Sephiroth asked quietly and Cloud shrugged.

“Yeah.” Cloud shook his head. “My father tried to kill me, then threw me in a cell.”

Again, the fingers on his shoulders paused. “Why?”

A rueful smile flickered on Cloud's face, “He took exception to me blowing up his reactors.”

“Your father was President Shinra?”

Cloud shrugged and the Sephiroth resumed the massage. “I think of him more as a donor.” He told Sephiroth. “My ma raised me. He had nothing to do with me.”

“Um...” A voice interrupted Cloud's thoughts and he opened his eyes. His younger counterpart was standing in the doorway, looking incredibly nervous and holding his uniform to his chest. “The president was... our dad?”

Cloud made a soft sound as Sephiroth's hands left his shoulders so the man could sit down beside him. He shrugged at the younger Cloud and nodded. “Yeah. Doesn't change anything though.”

“Ma said he'd died...” Slowly, the young man joined them at their table, hesitating for a moment before putting his folded uniform on the empty chair beside him.

“We were in a small town.” Cloud pointed out, “It was the more acceptable story. It's also why a lot of people didn't like... us.” The pronoun thing was a little complicated. Cloud wasn't used to thinking of himself as more than one person, and it would probably take a little getting used to.

But thinking about things, Sephiroth had made a good point earlier. “The other world – your world – isn't common knowledge.” Cloud continued, “We gave Seph the cover story that he was a clone, which made sense considering how he grew up, but that probably wouldn't fly with you.” The younger man nodded, following along. “Seph suggested that I think of you as a brother, rather than an alternate version of myself. Does that work for you?” After all, the boy did have the choice. If they used that as his cover, it really should be with his approval.

Slowly, the trooper nodded. “But... Does that mean I should change my name?” He asked, “I mean... ma wouldn't have named both her kids the same...”

It made sense. It also made sense for the younger him to change his name. Cloud was far too famous for a name change to stick without question, but this kid... he wasn't known at all in this world. Changing his name would be easier for everyone. Slowly, Cloud nodded. “That would probably be a good idea...”

“Perhaps you should have others help you decide what to choose.” Sephiroth suggested, a small smirk on his face. “After all,” He directed this part to Cloud, “You chose to change your name to _Storm_.”

Cloud shrugged. “I've never been overly creative.” He told him, “And I needed something that I could remember and answer to.”

His younger version frowned for a moment. “I have no idea what I'd call myself...” He said.

“Think on it.” Sephiroth told him, “You don't have to have one right away.”

The youngest man nodded, still frowning. “I think I will...”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't entirely sure about putting in my headcannon about Cloud's father, but the idea wouldn't leave me alone. Especially as my brain apparently wants to put Rufus in the story at some point x.x 
> 
> I am also a little stuck on what to call Cloud Jr. I have a few ideas, but I would love to hear what you guys think. 
> 
> I have also added some artwork to the series, so if you haven't seen it already, feel free to check it out. It's nothing fancy, but I felt like drawing and it seemed like a waste not to share it.


	8. New Acquaintances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud brings yet another person home with him, and dinner is just a little bit awkward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is slightly longer than normal. I normally have it 7ish pages in my word processor, this one was 9 full pages. 
> 
> Thank you all for your patience in waiting for this chapter.

Dinner was a small affair. Once the food had been placed on the table, and everybody had taken their seats, Cloud looked around. Sephiroth was, as always, beside him. Across the table were Tifa and his younger counterpart. Nobody else.

“Where's Genesis?” He asked. He had assumed that the man would be joining them – he still lived with them after all – but since returning home from the WRO, he hadn't seen the redhead.

He picked up his spoon and gently stirred the stew in his bowl. It smelled perfect, exactly as he remembered that it should, but it was too hot for him to properly taste it right now, he would have to give it a few moments to cool before he could taste a nostalgic part of his past. He didn't remember much about Nibelheim, but this... this stew was something he would never forget.

Tifa shrugged, “I sent him to buy a bottle of wine.” She told him and Cloud's attention was taken away from his food. His eyes found hers and he could see barely contained amusement behind the gentle brown. He was quiet for a moment, almost sharing in her amusement.

“Tifa... We're in a bar...” He pointed out, his tone lightly condescending in a way that simply made her amusement grow. She nodded and Cloud spoke again. “And it's the only place to buy alcohol in Edge...” Tifa nodded again. “The closest place to buy a wine you don't already have is...” He thought about it for a moment. Tifa had a very wide range available. She had wine, beer and spirits from all around the globe – she had even managed to find a few bottles of Banora White wine, something that wasn't even being made anymore. He had been the one doing most of the deliveries, and knew her stock. There was only one place that she had never bought alcohol from. “Gongaga...”

Tifa hated Gongagan wine. With a passion. Cloud wasn't entirely sure why, it hadn't tasted too bad to him, but even so she refused to stock it. She'd given him some barely believable line about how it wasn't very popular and wouldn't sell well enough to justify the cost of procurement. He just looked at her as she shrugged.

“He was underfoot.” She told him, as if that was enough of a reason to send someone on a wild goose chase. Then again, for her, it probably was. Cloud could remember being pushed out of the kitchen whenever he'd tried to help out. Apparently, he'd always done things wrong, and Tifa had felt that she was the only one who could do certain chores correctly. That was probably why he'd never learned to cook. Any time he'd tried, Tifa had taken over.

Cloud couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. He could only guess how Genesis had acted. He'd probably found her attitude to be a challenge and become even more determined to 'help out'. Tifa would not have liked that very much.

“Uhm... So you're not the Tifa I knew, but you're still Tifa... right?” The younger Cloud asked, reminding Cloud of his presence. It was still strange to have him here, joining them at their dinner table. He had known of his existence for a while – he'd knew that the boy was already in the military before Cloud had even joined SOLDIER.

The young man was watching her Tifa, his eyes roaming over her as if he was looking for similarities between her and the young woman he'd known. She nodded and offered him a smile, somehow managing to comfort him with the small action.

“I grew up with this Cloud,” She told him, gesturing to Cloud, “And a lot has changed since Nibelheim. I'm not her. But that doesn't mean we can't be friends.” Cloud was glad that his friends understood the difference, that the people from other realities may be very similar to them, that may share the genes and a few of the experiences that they had, but were not the same people. They had their own lives, their own personalities.

Hesitantly, younger Cloud nodded and returned her smile. He seemed to be slowly relaxing, and Cloud was glad about that. If their cover of being brothers was going to work, the boy had to seem like family, he had to be comfortable around them. And even if they didn't have that cover, Cloud would want him to be comfortable there anyway. One way or another, this young man was a part of his life now, and there was no reason why they couldn't get to know him, maybe even become friends.

“So I've been thinking,” The doppelganger said, and Cloud was once again pulled from his thoughts. “About my name change... I thought maybe Cole?” Again, the young man seemed hesitant, almost as though he was afraid to share his thoughts. Cloud thought back to when he had been that age, and realised with a start that he'd never actually _been_ that age. His younger self was now passed the age of sixteen, but not yet twenty-one. He was living the years that Cloud had lost. He had his own life, his own experiences. He really wasn't the same person.

Perhaps choosing another name would help not only his cover, but for the people of this world to see those differences, to know and understand that this boy _wasn't_ Cloud. And Cole seemed fitting. Clouds were found high in the sky, and coal was found deep beneath the earth. The names were similar, but their meanings were very far apart. Just like them. So similar yet vastly different.

Cloud nodded, it seemed like a decent name. A lot more creative than 'Storm', that was for sure. “That sounds good.” Beside him, he could feel Sephiroth nod also. Cloud wondered if he had read into the name as much as he had, and then he wondered if the younger man had even chosen that name for that reason. It may have been something as simple as that he liked the name.

“Cole it is then.” Cole said with a decisive nod and a somewhat relieved smile. “I'll just have to get used to it...”

“Well then, Cole,” Sephiroth said slowly, “We'll just have to make sure to use your new name frequently so that you can become accustomed to it.”

Before the conversation could continue, the door to the bar opened and a very irritated SOLDIER walked in. Cloud had to check that there wasn't a literal thunderstorm following him. His face was contorted into a displeased scowl that seemed to stretch down into his shoulders. “There is _nowhere_ in this city that sells wine!” He grumbled, throwing himself down at a table and glaring at Tifa, who was somehow managing to keep a straight face. Cloud wasn't having as much luck over his own expression and was glad that Genesis' attention was consumed by his irritation at Tifa.

“I know.” She told him and Cloud snorted in amusement at the deepening fury on Genesis' face. Even though this man's body was older than Cloud's, he was reminded of just how _young_ the SOLDIER was. He was a few months older than Sephiroth and his mind was from around the time that Cloud had first arrived in Sephiroth's world. Which meant that he couldn't be any older than twenty-five. At least mentally. Cloud was almost thirty-four and was feeling very old.

“Then why did you send me to go buy some!?” If he wasn't so angry, Cloud was sure that Genesis would have been pouting.

“Apparently, you were in her way.” Sephiroth provided the answer, and didn't bother to hide his own amusement, his face lighting up in a joyful smirk. “I was wondering how long it would take you to realise... We've been here for almost an hour now.”

“In case it comes up again,” Cloud spoke slowly between spoonfuls of his stew. It tasted exactly how he remembered it, and he was eating it slowly, savouring the taste of home. “You would need to go to Gongaga to find anything she doesn't already have here.”

This seemed to fluster Genesis even more and he threw his hands up in frustration. “Damn you, woman.” He muttered, standing and stomping towards the kitchen. He came back moments later with a bowl of his own and joined them at the table, slamming the dish down and spilling some of the stew on the table. Cloud rolled his eyes at the man's immature behaviour.

“Why are there two of you?” Genesis asked after a moment, gesturing towards the Clouds.

“This is my brother, Cole.” Cloud said, figuring he could use this as an opportunity to get used to the idea. He could explain everything else to Genesis later, when he wasn't so flustered. He also didn't want to answer the questions that Genesis would ask. He wanted to get his own head around the new turn of events first.

Genesis regarded them with a raised eyebrow, obviously not believing it, but he didn't say anything more, so Cloud continued the introductions. “Cole, this is Genesis.”

“Nice to meet you, sir.” Cole said, with a small head nod. Cloud wondered if it was a habit for the younger man to address anybody so obviously SOLDIER with the honorific. If it was, he would have to break him of it. In this timeline, someone his age would have been very young when Shinra fell, when SOLDIER was disbanded. He shouldn't have the military habit of calling every person with glowing eyes 'sir'. Then again, it would also make sense if he was doing that out of fear. The fact that Cole was once again tensing up betrayed that he was once again uncomfortable, and probably intimidated.

Genesis snorted in amusement, “At least he's more polite than you.” He said to Cloud, apparently enjoying the idea of someone showing him such respect.

“He's got a lot to learn.” Cloud countered, “Eventually he'll figure out that he doesn't have to be polite to you.” His tone was teasing, and he was glad that Genesis was once again flustered, but he wasn't angry. He seemed to be more emotionally stable now.

“Right. I can see where I'm not wanted.” The redhead muttered, picking up his bowl and standing. Without another word, he left up the stairs to his room. Cloud watched him go, knowing that Genesis was using his words as an excuse to leave, and wasn't actually offended. Or at least, Cloud _hoped_ that that was the case.

As soon as he was gone, Cloud chuckled and shook his head. He saw Tifa do the same and Sephiroth laugh lightly beside him. “He's too easy.” The silver haired man muttered somewhat fondly.

Across from him, Cole was still staring after the man with wide eyes. “He was SOLDIER, right?” He asked and Cloud frowned. Hadn't Genesis been a big deal before he'd left? How come Cole didn't know who he was?

“That was Commander Rhapsodos.” Sephiroth offered, “He is... from our world too.” He added. “Around five years before we left, he deserted Shinra and took many of the Second and Third class SOLDIERs with him.”

Cole was now watching Sephiroth, his eyes seemingly fixed in their widened position. “So.. he was a traitor?” He asked slowly.

Cloud shrugged, gaining the young man's attention. “Technically, so were you.” He pointed out, “You were part of Sephiroth's rebellion, weren't you?”

“Well.. I mean... it literally had my name on it... And I didn't like where the company was headed, and when I was told what they were doing to the planet, where the energy was coming from, I had to do something and STRIFE seemed like the best way to do something about it because I'm not really much of a fighter yet and I didn't want to physically go up against SOLDIER or anything but being in the reconnaissance division meant that I could help without getting in anyone’s way or getting killed and-”

Sephiroth was chuckling as Tifa put a hand on Cole's arm to stop him from rambling. Everybody at the table were giving him amused looks. “Hey, don't worry.” Tifa reassured him, using the same tender voice that she used on the kids when they were worked up. It seemed to work. “We all went against Shinra, one way or another.”

Cole nodded, and closed his mouth, seemingly only just realising how much he was rambling.

“So you've always rambled like that.” Sephiroth said. It wasn't a question, and Cloud just shrugged in response, ignoring the blush that was starting to spread on his cheeks. Maybe if he didn't acknowledge it, it would go away? Probably not, but Cloud could pretend.

“Not always...” He mumbled, bashfully.

Tifa shook her head in amusement. “You were like that when we were kids.” She told him, “And you started to do it again after Advent Day. It was even one of the traits that Za-Zeke picked up.”

Cloud had asked his friends to refer to his son as Zeke. With his experiences over the last five years, being around both Zeke _and_ Zack, it seemed less confusing that way. They were still getting used to the name change, and Cloud had wondered if it had been easier for him because of the boy's presence.

“Zeke?” Cole questioned, “Is he one of your kids? You mentioned having kids in the car...”

Cloud nodded. “He was.” He told the boy, “He...” He shook his head and looked away, hoping that would be enough of an explanation for Cole.

“What about our other kids?” The younger man asked instead.

Cloud nodded, “They're not really kids anymore.” He told him, “And none of them are actually related to me... We're more of a... big family.” He managed a smile. Speaking about Marlene and Denzel, and their unusual family was a better subject, something that he definitely could smile about.

“Marlene and Denzel live across the road.” Tifa picked up for him, “They come to visit a lot. You'll meet them at some point, I'm sure.” She hesitated for a beat, “That is, if you _want_ to spend time with us after tonight.”

Cole nodded and looked at his bow, “I'm lost, in a whole new world. You guys and my squad are the only people familiar...”

Cloud nodded, understanding how he felt. At least he'd come through with his squad. “Reeve has set up somewhere for your squad to stay.” He reassured the boy, “So you're not entirely lost. I can't say it'll be much of a home, but at least it's somewhere to start.” A part of him wanted to offer him a place to stay at the bar, but there wasn't enough space left. That, and Cloud wasn't sure if he was ready to be that close to his doppelganger for so long. Maybe in a little while, after he'd had time enough to adapt to the idea.

Tifa chuckled, “Good.” She said, “I was worried I'd have to build an expansion on the bar. If you keep bringing home strays, you're going to have to sort out some more space.”

“Strays?” Cloud asked, having absolutely no idea what she was talking about, which only made her laugh again. It was good to hear her laugh.

“This is the fifth person you've either brought home or has come here _because_ of you.” Tifa pointed out, “Denzel, Zeke, Seph, Gen and now Cole.” She counted on her fingers, holding her hand up for Cloud to see that she had five fingers extended. “We only have three rooms.” She added. “I already had to clear a storage room for Genesis, if you keep bringing people home and having them stay, I might as well become a hotel. I'm _not_ sharing my room.”

Despite her words, Cloud could tell that she was more amused than upset. She wasn't someone that would sit by and let him keep bringing people home and inviting them to stay if she had actually had a problem with it. She would had definitely said something earlier if it was bothering her.

Still, she had a point. Over the last ten years, Cloud _had_ brought a lot of people back to the bar. He felt himself flush as he realised the reason. This was a safe place. It was his home. The people he'd brought back were people he had felt were important enough to warrant an offering of a safe place to stay.

“I could always move into the apartment...” He offered and Tifa shook her head with a sigh.

“You know that you're always welcome here. It's your home.” She reminded him.

“You have an apartment?” Sephiroth questioned and Cloud shrugged.

“I wanted to make sure that Zeke had a place to go to when he wanted to become intendant. I wanted him to be close by, so I had to buy it quickly before somebody else did.” It had also been an option to bug out if he needed to. A place for him to stay, where he could be alone. He couldn't use the church any more, it would be the first place that Tifa would look for him. He'd never actually used it for that, but it had been there just in case.

“If you have an apartment, why are you living here?” Cole asked, “I mean... it's not very big...” He gave a nervous glance at Tifa, almost as if he was afraid he'd offended her.

“It's not.” Tifa agreed with a shrug, obviously not offended. “But it's his home.”

Cloud ducked his head and nodded, agreeing with her. But maybe... maybe it _was_ time for him to move on from the bar. The apartment wasn't much bigger, but it would _feel_ a lot bigger if it was only him and Sephiroth living there. Then again, would Tifa allow Genesis to stay with her if they left? Maybe he should let Cole and Genesis live there, and free up some space in the bar? It was a two bedroomed place, there would be enough space for the two of them...

It was something he would have to think on, and maybe speak to Sephiroth about. Either way, somebody would be moving into that apartment. It was no longer needed for it's intended purpose and there wasn't really any point in having _another_ empty house to his name. At least the one in Costa Del Sol was considered a _holiday_ home.

He realised he'd finished his meal, and a quick look around the table indicated that everybody else had too. He stood and began to gather the dishes.

“Would you like a ride back to your squad later?” Cloud offered, figuring that Cole probably had no idea where he was supposed to go. Not that Cloud had any more of a clue, but he could always call Reeve for help.

“Uhm, if that's okay?” Cole said with a small, shy smile.

Cloud shrugged, “I wouldn't have offered if it wasn't.”

“Can we... maybe take your bike?”

“No.” Sephiroth's stern voice spoke up as the man placed his bowl on the pile that Cloud was making and he shook his head with a sigh.

“Unfortunately, I have an overprotective partner.” He explained to Cole.

“You're sick, Cloud.” Sephiroth said, voice turning very serious, “We can't rule out that you will pass out when in control of it. If you do, you'll probably die, and I'm not going through that again.”

“Even more unfortunately, he makes a good point.” Cloud added to Cole, who was giving Cloud a worried look.

“You're sick?” He asked, “But.. I mean, I thought... there was a rumour that you couldn't get sick...”

Cloud shrugged, “Apparently I can.” He'd almost forgotten how well known he'd been in the other world, about how everyone seemed to know the most random things about him. It was probably because of his fan club.

He picked up the pile of dishes and took them to the kitchen, not wanting to go into details with his younger self. He didn't really want to think about his sickness at all. At the moment, there was nothing he could do about it. Tomorrow, he promised himself, they would go to the church and ask the Planet if she knew what was happening to him. If they had that answer, then maybe they could come up with a solution.

If not... he'd come to accept his death before, he could do it again. He had hoped, that after Geostigma, he would never have to face that fate again. Every time he went into battle, he knew that there was always the chance that he wouldn't come out alive, but dying of an illness? It never sat right with him.

He was a warrior. Didn't he deserve a warriors death?

At least this illness wasn't painful. Geostigma had been hell. Somehow, he'd managed to hide it from his family for a long time, and even after they'd found out, he'd managed to keep the amount of pain he'd been in secret. This time, he couldn't do that. He couldn't run away again and he'd have to face the worry and concern of his family. He'd have to see their despair when they realised that they were unable to help him. To him, that was worse than the reality that he would probably die.

He was just glad that this illness didn't seem to be communicable. Nobody else was getting sick. He took comfort in that fact. He might die, but at least he wouldn't be taking anybody with him.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Tifa joined him in the kitchen. Her arrival brought him back to the here and now, and he realised just how fast his heart was beating. Apparently he'd been well on his way to another panic attack. Tifa had manage to prevent it, simply by being there at the right time.

She sighed and stood next to him, shaking her head. “Stop.” She ordered, “Stop running away from this. We'll help you. We'll find a way.”

Maybe this time, he could believe that. Yeah. He wanted to believe that. He nodded and offered her a small smile. “Okay.” He agreed, “We'll fight this. Tomorrow, I'm going to take Seph to the church. See if we can find some answers.”

“Good.” Tifa smiled at him, and he could see the relief in her eyes, and maybe even a little surprise.

“I won't run away again.” He added, “Not this time.”

“Not ever again.” Tifa demanded, as she began to fill the sink for the dishes. “Whether you like it or not, you have a family, and we care about you. You're not alone anymore.”

Cloud nodded again before taking her by the shoulder and gently pushing her towards the door. “You cooked.” He told her, “I'll clean.”

“Miracles do happen.” She said somewhat sarcastically. They both knew that it was a joke, Cloud had often helped out with the domestic chores. He was a part of the family, after all, but he couldn't begrudge her her reaction. She was smiling at him, and that was worth it.

“What are you going to do about Cole?” She asked quietly, moving to lean against the wall to get out of his way.

He shrugged and started cleaning. “I don't know.” He answered her honestly, “I think... I think I want to get to know him. He's... not me. He's his own man.”

“You called him your brother. Even if it's just a cover story, it still makes him family. He's one of us now.”

“Does that mean you're going to call for another family gathering?” Cloud asked with a chuckle and Tifa shrugged.

“We always do, when you bring someone new to the family.”

That made Cloud think. Over the last ten years, he had brought several people home, and his friends had never truly complained about adding to their growing group. They'd accepted the people he'd brought home, simply because he was the one who had brought them in.

With a small, content smile, Cloud lost himself in the monotony of washing the dishes.

– – – – – – – – –

The church was quiet, and once again Cloud felt a strong longing to see Aerith. It didn't feel right to be here without her, this was _her_ place. Over the last several years, he'd become accustomed to having her around, even after she'd moved up to the plate with Zack. She would still be there, tending to the flowers day after day, accompanied by her young family. Lilly had loved the church, and it was bitter sweet for Cloud – it reminded him of the times he brought his own baby to this place.

At least now, Cloud could take comfort in the fact that she was alive. She was okay. She was living a life, raising a beautiful child and due to marry the love of her life.

He watched as Sephiroth moved towards the flowers, taking his traditional kneeling position in front of them, his eyes closed and hands clasped together. The pose was exactly the same as the one Aerith had been in when the other Sephiroth had taken her life - and saved her soul.

That idea had taken a little getting used to, and Cloud liked to think that his nemesis had known what he was doing, that he'd known that she wouldn't survive either way. He liked to think that he'd had a moment of sanity, and maybe even compassion. They'd seen that he could block Holy, that he could hold it back as Meteor came closer and closer. Aerith summoning it probably wouldn't have been a threat to him...

He knew that it was a fanciful thought, but he wanted to believe it. So he did.

He took a seat beside Sephiroth and began his ritual of tending to the blooming flowers, letting it calm his nerves. He wasn't sure if he even wanted the Planet to answer them. He wanted answers, or at least, most of him did, but part of him was still in denial. He'd only collapsed twice, it could be something else. Had he been eating enough? Sleeping enough? Maybe he was just getting old..? Most people would still see him as young, but after everything he'd been through, he was sure his life expectancy had been reduced.

Sephiroth made a small sound and Cloud turned to him, instantly concerned. His partner's eyes were open and he was looking confused. “She wants me to hold your hand...?”

Without asking questions that he knew Sephiroth would have no answers for, Cloud held out his hand for Sephiroth to take, wordlessly giving him permission to do anything that he needed to do to get answers. It may not have bothered Cloud to have none, but he knew that it would be devastating for Sephiroth to find out nothing.

As soon as their hands touched, Cloud felt the familiar sensation of being pulled into the realm between life and death. He wondered who was calling them there, who would be the Planet's avatar this time? Aerith was gone, her spirit seemingly having merged with the Aerith in the other world. Would it be this world's Zack that would greet them? Did it _have_ to be a Cetra?

“You've grown so big!” He didn't know that voice. It was only vaguely familiar and he resisted the urge to turn around. He gripped Sephiroth's hand a little tighter in warning, realising that this was probably the first time the man had been in this place.

“Don't turn around.” He told him in a whisper, “If you do, she'll disappear.” He felt Sephiroth nod beside him and knew that he'd been heard.

“I'm so sorry that I had to leave you.” The unknown woman spoke again, her soft voice familiar enough that Cloud knew he'd heard it before, but foreign enough that he couldn't place where. Maybe if she kept talking....

“You were so little when I left... But I had to look after my own family. I couldn't let Hojo get a hold of my child...”

Suddenly, Cloud knew where he'd heard the voice before. He'd only heard it once, ten years ago when he'd taken Zeke from the labs in Nibelheim. She was the woman who had cared, who had fought for the baby to be treated like a child rather than an experiment.

“Ifalna....” Sephiroth spoke in a whisper and Cloud gave a small start. He knew that name... She was Aerith's biological mother.

It made sense though. Ifalna was a Cetra, one known to Sephiroth. It made sense that she would be the one to see them, to be the avatar for the Planet.

“You're here for answers, aren't you? For the one you love.” She sounded a lot like Aerith, her voice was soft and kind. Loving. He had no doubt that leaving Sephiroth had been hard for her, the amount of love in her voice was obvious, and so was the amount of regret.

“Yes... He's sick...” And the amount of fear and worry in Sephiroth's voice was equally as obvious. Cloud gave his hand a small squeeze.

“No.” Suddenly, there was a hand on his arm, and Cloud sucked in a breath. “You're not sick.” She told him, “You're... changing. You're being shaped into something new... something more...”

“Wh-” Cloud's throat was dry and his voice was croaky. He swallowed and tried again. He had a feeling that he didn't want to know. But he had to. If not for himself, then for Sephiroth. “What do you mean?” He asked. He was being changed? Transformed? Into what?

His first, terrifying thought, was that he was being changed into something like Jenova, but almost as soon as he thought that, he realised that that couldn't be it. If he was being changed by Jenova, Sephiroth probably would be too. If he was being changed by her, then the Planet wouldn't stand by and let it happen. Ifalna wouldn't sound so reassuring.

“I'm sorry,” She said quietly, “It's not going to be easy, and I don't think it's something you want... but you're her best choice...”

“What's happening to him?” Sephiroth was trembling slightly, probably more shaken than Cloud was with what they were being told.

“You were the one to kill the others, to take them away from her. You are the strongest being on her surface. You were her best choice...”

Cloud had a feeling that he knew what she was going to say. He didn't want her to say it, he didn't want to hear it, he didn't want his suspicions to be true. It couldn't be true.

“Sapphire, Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Ultimate....” Ifalna began to list the names that Cloud knew so well. The names of the Planet's last defences. The defences he and his friends had been forced to destroy to protect the people. The planet's WEAPONs.

“Topaz.”

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this plot point has been done before, but I love it, and I'm going to use it. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who is still reading, and to those that are still giving feedback. It keeps me going when I have those days that are hard. 
> 
> I'm also sorry for the delay in writing this. These next few weeks are going to be a little more hectic for me, since about a third of my friends have birthdays and some are hosting tabletop games (D&D, Pathfinder etc) and LARPS instead of birthday parties - which are always at least a full day of something, if not over multiple days in the case of some boardgames (I'm looking at you, Arkham Horror!). 
> 
> I'm hoping to be able to post at least every two to four days. Sorry it can't be daily right now. I probably won't post anything tomorrow. It's my birthday and I think my partner might be planning something.


	9. New Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud reacts to learning of his new fate.

He was Topaz. He was going to become the Topaz WEAPON. He could admit that it did make sense. He _was_ the logical choice for the Planet. But... But he was human. He wasn't born of the planet in the way that the WEAPONs were supposed to have been. He was born of Raine Strife of Nibelheim. He was born _human_ and no matter what experiments and procedures he'd been put through, he was _still_ human.

But he'd already seen the changes. His eyes had begun to turn gold, hadn't they? Gold. The colour of Topaz. Would he become like those monsters that he'd once fought so hard against? Would he grow to that gargantuan size? Become unrecognisable and inhuman? Would he change so dramatically?

Even worse, would he remember his life from before? Would he be able to hold on to his humanity? Or would he lose himself and become nothing more than the mindless creatures that had only one goal in life? Would he ever be able to return to the lifestream, or would he be forced to live life, even after all his friends had long passed? Would he live for centuries, millennia? The WEAPONs that had emerged during the months of Meteorfall had been over two _thousand_ years old.

If he was forced into that fate, he wasn't sure he _wanted_ to keep a hold of himself. He didn't want to be a monster, alone in the world, forced to slumber in crystal stasis until he was needed. That wasn't a life he could deal with. His sanity wouldn't survive that.

So caught up in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the whiteness fading or the church coming back. He didn't feel the warmth of Sephiroth's hand on his arm, he didn't smell the sweet scent of the flowers before him, the hard wood under his knees. None of that registered with him.

He couldn't breathe. His chest was tight and his throat was closing, he was shaking, gasping, dizzy.

“Cloud.” Sephiroth's voice was pushing through his churning thoughts, forcing itself to be heard. “Cloud.” Arms wrapped around him, holding him close, comforting him. “I've got you.” The whispered words were by his ear and he was surrounded by Sephiroth, silver hair covering him like a blanket, hiding him from the world. “Breathe, Cloud.”

And he did. He took a breath and attempted to hold it, fighting the urge to gulp down air. He let it out slowly and took another, holding it for a fraction of a second longer, and letting it out slower. He closed his eyes and leaned into the embrace, concentrating on his breathing and letting his thoughts fade.

“I can't do that.” He managed to force out, his voice breaking. He felt small, so very small and vulnerable. “I can't- I can't be _that_.”

“Just breathe.” Sephiroth repeated quietly, slowly rocking them back and forth.

Cloud followed Sephiroth's order, thinking only of the air going into his lungs and slowly releasing out. He didn't know how long they sat like that, how long it took him to get his breathing under control, but Sephiroth held him the whole time, never once wavering from giving him comfort.

Eventually, Cloud _had_ calmed down. They sat in silence for a few moments before Sephiroth spoke.

“Cloud... what did she mean?”

“I-” Cloud shook his head, knowing that if he spoke about it right now, he would fall back into the panic attack he'd only just recovered from. “I can't.” He told Sephiroth, who nodded in understanding. He'd ask again later, but for now, he could let it go. “Ask.. Ask Tifa to tell you about the WEAPONs...” At least, Cloud could tell Sephiroth that much. Give him a chance to find out the information that he wanted, that he _needed_ to know without Cloud having to say it.

No. He wouldn't let it happen. He couldn't. The Planet wouldn't get away with this. He didn't consent and he wouldn't let the Planet do this to him. But... But what could he do? How could he stop it? The Planet was doing this to him, and he was helpless, unable to defend himself from the transformation.

He would find a way. Tifa was right. He would fight this. And he would have his friends help. He _wasn't_ alone any more. He wouldn't have to face this without them.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

Sephiroth managed to get Cloud home. He was still in a state of dazed shock, his mind hardily registering anything. He allowed himself to be lead by Sephiroth, for the man to carefully drive them home. He didn't even feel ill with the movement. He felt... numb.

He didn't even realise they'd got home until Sephiroth was gently pushing him down onto the bed. “Will you be alright here?” He was asked, and he managed to give a small nod. He would be okay while Sephiroth got some of his answers. He would be better off, not seeing Tifa's reaction to learning what was happening to him.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

“What are the WEAPONs?” Sephiroth asked as he slowly stepped into the bar. He was sure that his hesitancy was obvious, sure that his emotions were written all over his body language, if not on his face.

Tifa was there, as always, setting up and getting ready for the night ahead. He saw her pause before turning around, worry obvious in her expression, but she kept her questions to herself. At least for now.

Sephiroth knew that he would have to tell her what the Planet had said. There was no way that Cloud was ready to tell her, to explain to her the things that Sephiroth didn't yet understand, and he wasn't going to wilfully put Cloud into the position of doing so, the man would probably panic again and Sephiroth couldn't stand to see him like that. The fear, the horror... They didn't belong on his lover's face. Sephiroth would do everything in his power to prevent Cloud from ever having to feel that again.

He moved further into the bar and took a seat, looking up at her. She poured him a coffee – a habit now – and leaned against the counter, pausing for thought before speaking.

“They were supposed to be the Planet's last line of defence.” She said slowly, as if trying to figure out why Sephiroth was asking such questions. At any other time, she might have put it down to simple curiosity, to him wanting to know more about the world he now found himself living in. But since he'd come home, all but carrying Cloud, she knew that something else was going on.

“Monsters created by the Planet when Jenova first fell from the sky.” She continued, giving him as much of an answer as she could. “I don't know why they didn't fight her then, but when she was sealed by the Cetra, the WEAPONs became dormant. When Meteor was summoned, they woke up and started attacking people. Why do you ask?”

Sephiroth was silent. He stared down at the mug on the bar in front of him, gathering his thoughts. Monsters created by the Planet? Was that what the Planet was doing to Cloud? Turning him into a monster for her to use at her will? Thinking about it, Sephiroth could more than understand Cloud's shock, his panic.

“Seph?” Tifa prompted him, and he realised he'd been quiet for too long. But he wasn't sure how to say it, he still wasn't sure what was happening.

“The Planet is turning Cloud into a WEAPON.” He told her quietly, not looking up at her. He didn't want to see her face, to confirm that the fate was one worse than death for his lover. From the small amount of information he'd gathered from her, the WEAPONs that had been defeated had been more than two thousand years old. Did that mean that Cloud would outlive them all? That he wouldn't return to the Planet? That when Sephiroth eventually died, he wouldn't see Cloud again?

Silence fell across the bar, both of them absorbed in their thoughts.

“I wont do it.” Cloud's voice came from the stairway and the blond slowly took the final steps into the bar. “I wont...” His tone spoke of determination, of a will strong enough to bend the rules of life and death. He'd done it before, and Sephiroth had no doubt that he could do it again.

“Then we'll find a way to stop it.” Tifa was equally determined and when Sephiroth finally looked up from his rapidly cooling beverage, he saw her shoulders set straight, her body positioned as if ready for a fight. As a warrior himself, he knew that this was probably a subconscious action, but it told him just how far she would be willing to go to protect Cloud. To find a way to save him from his fate.

Cloud joined Sephiroth at the bar, his movement slow as if he was still slightly dazed. Not that Sephiroth would blame him if he were, the information they'd gathered had been quite a shock.

“The question is how.” Sephiroth spoke again, moving his hand to gently rest on Cloud's knee in a show of silent support.

Cloud shrugged, “I have an idea, but it's not really something that's feasible...” He seemed hesitant to even say the idea, and Sephiroth knew that they really wouldn't like it. He gently squeezed the leg his hand was on, pushing him to speak up anyway.

“The Planet can't change me if I'm dead.”

Sephiroth sucked in a breath. He was right, he didn't like that idea. “There has to be another way.” He said firmly, managing to get the words through his tightening throat. He wasn't going to lose Cloud again, not if he could help it. They would find a way, they had to. He wouldn't let Cloud die. He would do everything in his power to save Cloud.

But if they couldn't...

“WEAPONs aren't easy to kill.” Tifa said slowly, “We don't have another mako cannon and I don't think any of us could...” She shook her head, and Sephiroth understood why. The idea that they would have to stand up and fight Cloud to the death... that wasn't going to happen. It wasn't a matter of strength – he was sure that if they worked together, he and AVALANCHE probably had the physical skill to take Cloud down – but it was a matter of will.

Even the best trained warriors would falter when faced with an enemy they cared for. It didn't matter how determined they were, they always stumbled, and that would be enough. That would be enough that they would lose the fight.

Cloud shook his head, a sad smile on his face and Sephiroth felt his heart break. Cloud was seriously contemplating ways to die to prevent himself from becoming what the Planet wanted.

“I don't think it would matter anyway.” He told them. “Remember... the triplets managed to kill me once.” He said to Tifa, who nodded, “And the Planet rejected me from the lifestream. Threw me back.” He shook his head. “Even if I did die, I don't think the Planet would let me stay dead.”

Sephiroth made a mental note to ask about that later. Cloud had never said anything about dying before, or fighting triplets. There were still so many things about Cloud's past that Sephiroth didn't know. But now was not the time to ask.

“Then why didn't she simply send the WEAPONs back?” Sephiroth asked, keeping to the subject at hand. “Instead of creating a new one?”

“Because....” Cloud swallowed. He was shaking. Not caring that Tifa was there, not caring that Cloud still had trouble being comfortable with more than the smallest show of physical affection around her, Sephiroth stood and put his arms around Cloud. Right now, they both needed the physical comfort. Cloud didn't protest, simply leaned into the touch.

“Because the WEAPONs didn't return to the lifestream.” He finished his sentence and Sephiroth froze. No. He didn't like the connotations that that had. That Cloud would never... The only comfort he'd had when Cloud had been dead, was that he would see him again. That they would be reunited in the lifestream. But from what Cloud was saying... He shook his head, wanting to find some words of comfort – for them both.

“But the previous WEAPONs weren't human.” He said quietly, “They may not have had souls to send back to the Planet...”

“How do we know?” Cloud's voice was decreasing in volume, slowly getting quieter as he leaned into Sephiroth, almost as if he was trying to make himself smaller. “How do we know that they weren't human once? That they weren't changed like... like me?”

“If they were... they were probably Cetra.” Tifa said, her voice almost as quiet as Cloud's.

Didn't that make things worse? Weren't Cetra closer to the Planet? More in tune with it? More likely to be able to find their way back, even from a fate like that? If the Cetra couldn't do it...

In his arms, Cloud nodded. Apparently he'd already thought about that, and once again, Sephiroth felt an ache in his chest. He held Cloud tighter, this time for his own comfort. To feel the man he loved in his arms, still alive, still breathing, still _him_.

“I don't know what to do...” Cloud was now all but whispering, so close to falling apart, and a part of Sephiroth wished that he would let himself, that he would allow himself to cry, to get the emotions out. But he wouldn't. He wouldn't show that kind of weakness in front of Tifa. Later, Sephiroth would hold him while he let it out, would be there when he became overwhelmed by his feelings.

“We'll think of something.” Sephiroth promised, “We'll find a way.”

Across the bar, Tifa nodded in agreement.

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

This news was a lot to take in, but at least now they had an idea as to why Cloud kept passing out. His body was changing, the Planet messing around with his DNA, his very being. That was probably too much of a shock for his system to handle, and so it shut down to allow those things to happen. Or at least, that was Cloud's working theory.

So far, the only physical difference in him was the golden rings around his eyes. He was thankful for that – how ever the Planet was changing him, it seemed to be a slow process. At least he hadn't lost his humanity yet. Hopefully, he had a lot of time to find a way to stop it from continuing.

He had a feeling that once the transformation was complete – or even after a certain point – there would be absolutely nothing they could do. He had to find a way to stop it before it got that far.

He'd only passed out twice. Which meant that the Planet had only had two opportunities to change him. Or at least, he was hoping that was all. He _had_ spent a year in the lifestream, who knows what changes had happened when he'd come back in a newly rebuilt body.

“Cloud.”

Once again, Sephiroth's voice broke through his thoughts and he tilted his head to look at the man.

“You won't be alone.” Sephiroth told him.

“I will. Eventually.” He answered, quietly, “WEAPONs don't die, not from old age, not from illness...” He shook his head, “No matter what was done to you, how you were made, you're still human. You... eventually... you'll return to the Planet... Everyone will.”

Again, Sephiroth shook his head. “No.” He told him, “I wont.” He offered him a smile. “Nexis. As long as one of us remains alive, the other can find their way back. All I have to do is love you, and that is the easiest thing I have ever done.”

Cloud paused for thought. Would that be enough? Would it be possible...? Would he be able to keep Sephiroth by his side, for all of time? But what would that do to the man? People weren't made to live forever. The last thing that Cloud wanted was for Sephiroth to slowly degrade, for him to lose his mind and his sanity as he lived for centuries beyond what he was supposed to.

But then... maybe if he lived that long, Cloud would degrade along side him, fade with him to the point that there wasn't enough left of him for Sephiroth to follow back from death. Maybe, eventually, Sephiroth would want to stay in the lifestream. To come back, it had to be an all encompassing need to return. He couldn't have even a part of him wanting to stay in the lifestream, or he wouldn't be able to come back.

Then there was the fact that Sephiroth's emotions might change over time. Cloud had no problems believing that Sephiroth would love him for a very long time, probably for longer than his natural lifespan, but for centuries? Millennia?

Still. It was a nice thought to hold on to. The idea that he wouldn't be doing this alone. That he would always have Sephiroth by his side. He curled a little tighter into Sephiroth's embrace, taking the comfort where he could get it.

“Do... you want me to tell the others?” Tifa asked eventually, voice breaking through the silence.

Cloud nodded lightly. He didn't want to have to explain it to them. To tell them... If Tifa could do it, that would be easier for him. Part of him wanted to keep it to himself, for only the three in the room to know about it, but he knew that that wasn't really an option. His friends would find out. Would be upset with him not telling them. They deserved to know. Even if there was nothing they could do about it, at least they'd be prepared. And the more people thinking about it, the more likely they were to find a solution.

His friends needed to know. But he didn't have to be the one to tell them.

Slowly, he uncurled from his position and stood, reluctantly stepping out of Sephiroth's arms. “I need a little time.” He told them, looking at neither of them. He headed back to his room to gather some things, his sword, some money a few essentials. When he stepped back into the bar, he looked at Sephiroth was an apologetic smile. “I promise,” He told him, “That I won't kill myself. Accidentally or otherwise.” He assured him, “But I need to take Fenrir out.”

Sephiroth seemed like he was going to protest, but Tifa's hand on his arm stopped him. He looked at the bartender for a second before looking back at Cloud, worry and fear evident in his eyes. Cloud stepped towards him, reaching out to place a hand on his cheek. “I promise.” He said again, “That if I do die, I'll come back to you.” He lifted himself on his tippy toes to reach up and place a kiss on Sephiroth's lips. “I love you.”

Those whispered words weren't spoken often between them. Sephiroth had told Cloud once that he believed that they held power, and to use them often decreases that power. If the words were repeated too many times, they began to lose their meaning and he never wanted that to happen with Cloud. In their year together, those words had been spoken no more than a handful of times. Both men knew that the emotion was there, they knew without a doubt how the other felt and would show their own feelings in the way of actions, rather than words. But sometimes... sometimes Cloud needed to say it.

“I love you.” Sephiroth's words were equally quiet and his arms went around Cloud's waist, holding him close and gently pressing their foreheads together. And for a brief moment, Cloud felt like everything was going to be okay.

– – – – – – – – – –

For the first time in almost a decade, Cloud was riding Fenrir to escape. To escape his life, his thoughts, his emotions. Somehow, putting physical distance between himself and Edge gave him emotional distance too. He could think more clearly, more logically. Less emotionally.

The thrum of the engine between his legs, the purr in his ears helped him dissociate, gave him something else to focus on when his mind became too crowded with what ifs. He leaned his body forward, pushing his bike up a gear and increasing his speed. The scenery flashed around him fast enough that anybody else wouldn't be able to see it. But Cloud had faster reflexes, faster senses. He wanted to go faster, to let the world melt away into a blur of colours.

He had never gone this fast, never felt such an intense need to move so quickly, but today... today he needed it.

When the sun began to set, he slowed down, eventually coming to a stop and looking around. He'd passed the Chocobo Farm a few hours ago, and now found himself on the south eastern cost. He looked over the ocean, allowing the sound to wash over him.

It would be so easy just to keep riding. To push himself over the cliffs and plunge into the water below. It was tempting, so very tempting. But he held himself back. He'd made a promise to Sephiroth, to Tifa. No matter how he was feeling, no matter the turmoil in his mind, he had promised them that he would come home alive.

With a soft sigh, he dismounted his beloved vehicle and kicked the stand loose. Resting the bike on the small piece of metal, he equipped his sword and moved closer to the cliff edge. Sitting down, he regarded the water again.

The soft waves were deceptive. The ocean looked calm, but he knew that it wasn't, that the waves were moving with great force against the edges of the cliff, slowly eroding the stone with its persistent power. It felt like some sort of metaphor for his life. From the outside, he supposed that he looked calm, that his life looked like a good one, full of family and love. But in reality he felt like he was being battered against the rocks, being pulled under and unable to breathe. Everything good that he had had been hard fought for.

The overwhelming torrent of emotions that he'd been trying to escape from came back, and this time he was alone. There was nobody here to help him, to pull him out of his panic. No strong arms around him, or gentle whispers in his ear.

For the first time, Cloud gave himself into the emotion and let it flow through him. He let his body react, let himself panic and gasp for air. He closed his eyes and curled tightly around himself, hugging his knees to his chest. It would pass. It always did. But this time, he let it do it at its own pace.

There would come a time, when he wouldn't have anybody to help him through this. A time when he would be alone in the world. He had no doubt that Sephiroth was genuine when he said he would keep coming back, that he wouldn't allow himself the peace and tranquillity of the afterlife. But even that determination would eventually come to an end.

Vaguely, he was aware of himself reaching into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He held it tightly in his shaking hand as he waited for the attack to pass. A soft knock against his hand had him opening his eyes and he looked down.

The small moogle charm that Marlene had given him almost a decade ago was swinging back and forth, gently tapping on the back of his hand. It's overly cute face beaming up at him. That was enough. That was enough to pull him out of his thoughts, to pull him away from his panic.

He had once promised Marlene that he would be there for her when she needed him, just like she and Denzel had always been there for him. That was so long ago, but he remembered it. It was still a promise. One he planned on keeping.

Taking a deep breath, then another, he calmed himself fully down.

Even if he was to outlive his friends, his family, there would still be time before that happened. There were still many years left for him to be around those he loved. Sephiroth. Tifa. Marlene. Denzel. The rest of AVALANCHE. He still had time to be there for them when they needed him.

Taking strength in that thought, his own silent promise, he managed a small smile. Yeah. He could do that. Live for them. His fate may not be something he could avoid, may not be something he could control, but he _could_ control his actions. He could be there. He could fight for his friends, if not for himself.

He flipped the phone open and scrolled through the contacts. Bypassing 7th Heaven he continued to scroll down until he found the name of the man he wanted to contact. It was picked up after the second ring.

“Woah. You're callin' _me_?” Cid honestly did sound surprised, and Cloud made a resolution to contact his friends more often. They always seemed so surprised when he called - surprised and worried. Did he really only call them when he was in trouble? When he needed something?

“Somethin' happen?” Cid spoke again and Cloud shook his head before remembering that they were on the phone.

“Yeah.” He answered honestly, “But I'm alright.” He quickly reassured the man. “Did Tifa call you?”

“Yeah. Said somethin' about another gathering. I'm pickin' everyone up as we speak.”

“Got enough room for one more?” Cloud asked, looking back at his bike. It wouldn't be too hard for him to drive home. It would probably be somewhat easier and probably even faster, but Sephiroth had made a very good point about Cloud's sudden propensity to randomly collapse. Now that he'd managed his emotions, he didn't need to run anymore. He wanted to go home.

“Where you at?” Cid didn't ask why Cloud needed a ride. Didn't press for information, and Cloud was thankful for that.

“South East Cost.” He answered. “Few hours from the Chocobo Farm.”

“I'll find ya. Couple hours.”

Having said everything he needed to say, Cloud ended the call. Instead of putting his phone away, he flicked through the contacts and dialled again.

“Are you hurt?” Sephiroth answered the phone on the first ring, and Cloud wondered if he'd been holding it ready. His voice was filled with anxiety and Cloud suddenly felt very selfish. He'd run away from his fears, from his emotions, but he'd also run away from Sephiroth, left him behind with his own thoughts and emotions. He could only imagine how helpless the warrior was feeling.

“I'm fine.” Cloud told him, and for the first time that day, he really meant it. “You're right... about the bike though. I shouldn't be riding...”

“Where are you?” Sephiroth asked, and Cloud briefly wondered what he would do with that information. Did he intend on taking the car to pick him up? That would take _hours_ , and someone would have to bring Fenrir home. It wasn't really a practical solution.

“It's okay.” He told Sephiroth, “Cid's going to pick me up. I'll be home in a little while.”

There was a pause before Sephiroth spoke again. “Are you sure you're alright?” He asked.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am. I think... I think I figured out what I need to do.” He wasn't sure if he should have this conversation over the phone, but somehow it felt easier. Maybe because he couldn't see Sephiroth's reaction.

“And what is that?” Sephiroth was hesitant, and Cloud didn't blame him. His last idea had been literal suicide.

“I need to live.” He said quietly, “For you. For my family. For my friends. I need to be there, for you all, while I can.”

“We will always need you.” Sephiroth said quietly, and Cloud could hear what he meant, what he hadn't said. His family would always find a reason to need him. If that was his reason for living, they would make sure to always give it.

“Thank you.” He didn't know what else to say, how to put his feelings and thoughts into words. He meant so much more than 'thank you', the words seemed so empty in comparison to what he had meant, inadequate even but Sephiroth seemed to understand.

“I can hear the ocean.” He said, shifting the conversation to something else and Cloud smiled. Sephiroth just wanted to talk to him. To hear his voice. Cloud could indulge him in that.

“Yeah. I ran out of land to drive on.” He said with a weak chuckle. “It's beautiful here.”

“The sound of the waves,” Cloud could hear the smile in Sephiroth's tender voice, “always reminds me of the cove near Junon.”

The cove? At first, Cloud wasn't sure what Sephiroth meant, but then he remembered. Days before he'd died, they'd been stationed in Junon and Cloud had taken them for a walk. He'd taken Sephiroth to a small, isolated cove where they could look up to the stars without the smog of the city getting in the way.

That was the day that he'd realised that Sephiroth loved him. That it wasn't just a physical attraction, or a first crush. That was the day that Cloud realised how much he'd been hurting the man, sending him so many mixed signals. His words and his actions hadn't matched up.

“That was the night I knew I loved you.” Sephiroth's voice echoed his thoughts and Cloud smiled, knowing that Sephiroth would be able to hear it, as he'd heard his.

“That's when I figured that out too... I'm sorry I was so stubborn about it...”

Sephiroth chuckled, “I understood your reasons. I'm just glad that you finally came around.”

“I loved you. Even then.” Cloud told him, admitting this for the first time, “I didn't want to admit it, and I didn't want to think about it. I was too damn stubborn, even to myself.” He shook his head, a small chuckle coming from him. “I don't know when I started to, but in that cove... I think that's when I first really thought about it.”

“I want to go back there.” Sephiroth told him, “I want to go with you, to all the places that were 'not dates'. To do things properly.”

“Might be a bit difficult.” Cloud was feeling better now, his emotions calm and positive. Instead of fear and terror, he was feeling love and comfort. Somehow, even Sephiroth's voice was enough to calm him. “The plate is mostly on the floor, and I don't think the Tonberry's Knife is still around...”

“Then we'll have to find a new places to go. Somewhere that can be just for us.” That sounded... that sounded nice.

“Yeah...” Holding the phone to his ear, Cloud closed his eyes and lifted his head, feeling the breeze gently brush against his softly smiling face. “We can make new memories...”

– – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I probably wouldn't post today, but I just started writing and couldn't stop. 
> 
> As always, I love to hear feedback, and am curious as to what everyone thinks. 
> 
> To everyone still reading, I love you all. Thank you. This is my most popular story so far, and I'm loving it! I'm just hoping that I'm doing Cloud's emotional state justice.


	10. New Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud explains things to AVALANCHE and then gets a few answers for himself.

Cloud carefully stored Fenrir in the cargo bay, making sure that it was tied up and wouldn't fall free in the case of turbulence. He also made sure that there was nothing nearby that could fall and scratch the paint. Once he was sure that the bike would be fine, he made his way to the flight deck.

“Thanks.” He said to Cid as he walked past the pilot, a hand gently clapping on the man's shoulder as he did so. That was another thing he was trying now. He wanted to be more emotionally available to his friends but he didn't really know how. But Zack did. Maybe he could learn from his memories of his friend. He remembered that Zack had been very tactile, and that seemed like a good place to start.

His friend gave him a strange look and then a nod, looking a little perplexed but not wanting to question it. Was he really that standoffish? So much so that his friend was confused when he offered even the smallest amount of physical contact? That was something he needed to change. He vowed to be a better friend in the future.

He walked forward, taking his usual spot in the front, looking over the moving landscape. Being able to see the world pass by was not only cathartic but also helped keep his nausea down. It wasn't so bad on the airship, Cid was an excellent pilot after all.

Nobody bothered him while they were in flight – they never had, leaving him to his thoughts – and their journey was a relatively quick one. Cid landed the ship just outside of town so he could take the bike off the ship. He took off the moment that they touched down, and managed to make it back to town before any of his friends.

The minute he got back into the bar, he was pulled into a pair of strong arms. “You're back!” Sephiroth held Cloud tightly, almost as if he was afraid that Cloud wouldn't have come back. The relief in his voice broke Cloud a little and he held Sephiroth just as tightly.

“I told you I would be.” he said quietly, pulling back to smile up at his partner. “I'll always come back to you. I promised, remember?”

Sephiroth smiled down at Cloud before pulling him back to his chest, his hand moving to hold the back of Cloud's head in a tender way. He couldn't help the soft smile, or the way he nuzzled his face into Sephiroth's chest, relaxing against the man he held so dear.

“Welcome home.” Sephiroth said quietly and Cloud's smile deepened.

They stood there for a moment, the world around them melting away, leaving them alone in each others company. Cloud felt like he could stay there forever, just being held by the man who meant everything to him.

But alas, they were interrupted a moment later when the door to the bar opened and his team wandered in.

“Uh...” Cid was at a loss for words. That was new. Cloud couldn't help the small chuckle as he stepped back far enough from Sephiroth to turn to face his friends, but not so far that he pulled out of his arms.

“We have something to tell you.” He told them.

“I'll bet...” Cid was pushed aside as Barret walked in. One by one, his friends joined them, each with a look of surprise or confusion.

Shaking his head, Cloud pulled away from Sephiroth and turned to the bar. It had been a long, emotional night and he needed his coffee. By the time he'd poured it, his friends had taken seats, most of them staring at him.

Except Yuffie. Yuffie was more interested in swiping alcohol from the bar.

Sephiroth stepped into the back room and came out a moment later with both Tifa and Genesis. The other SOLDIER looked at the people gathered with a wary expression, and Cloud realised that he'd never met any of them.

“This is Genesis.” Cloud introduced the man, “Former SOLDIER First Class.”

“Damn it. Another one? We're supposed t' be AVALANCHE, you gotta stop bringin' SOLDIERs home, Cloud.” Barret muttered, much to the amusement of some of their group. Nobody else seemed to have any objections, and Barret wasn't _really_ complaining. It was almost as if they were used to Cloud bringing home strange people.

“Uhm... what about the infantry?” A voice from the door asked. Cole stood there, looking apprehensive and nervous – it seemed to be his default setting and Cloud once again wondered if he had been like that. Behind him, Marlene and Denzel stood, looking more than a little amused.

They gently pushed Cole in before taking their own seats. “Tifa said you wanted a family gathering.” Marlene told him with a shrug, “So we thought we should bring him too.”

Cloud gave a nod. It was only right. He was supposed to be accepting the young man as his brother, after all. He looked around. His family had certainly grown over the last few years. Sure, there were a few people missing, his entire family could never be gathered in one place, but these were the people he could be with.

This was his family. Twelve people that he loved, and that he had made a vow to live for.

Most of them were looking at Cole with varying degrees of curiosity and confusion, and he realised that Reeve probably hadn't told them about him.

“Uh... Hello....” The young blond greeted everyone, looking like he felt completely out of place.

“Our family's grown again.” Cloud told them all, “Cole is from Seph's world.” He explained, “We don't know how he got here...” He added with a shrug, before anybody could ask, “But he arrived with his squad.”

“Do you have a cover story?” Vincent asked, regarding the teenager.

Cole nodded, “Uh... Cloud's brother...” He told them, still looking like he wanted to melt into the wall.

“That works.” Yuffie announced, popping up from behind the bar with a very badly concealed bottle hidden under her tiny shirt. Cloud rolled his eyes.

“You don't need to steal that, Yuffie. You can just take it.” He pointed out. The shinobi frowned, pouting lightly.

“You ruin all my fun.” She muttered, pulling the bottle from under her shirt. She put it on the bar and jumped up to sit beside it, swinging her legs beside her.

“So...” Reeve spoke up, looking at Cloud and then Sephiroth, “You said you have something to tell us?”

Cloud nodded, suddenly very nervous. Luckily, Tifa stepped up and took over. “The Planet apparently has another mission for Cloud...” She started, fumbling with her words slightly, not sure how to tell them.

“So, what do you need us to do?” Nanaki asked.

Cloud looked at them all again. None of them asked what it was that the Planet wanted him to do, just how they could help. They were all looking at him expectantly, and the expression was very familiar to Cloud. He'd seen it time and time again on soldiers under his command. People waiting to be told what to do, and ready to follow any order he gave.

Once again, he was filled with emotion, realising just how far these people would go for him. Realising just how much he was loved. He smiled at them and shook his head.

“There isn't... really anything you can.” He told them, looking away and clearing his throat.

Somehow, it felt like it would be easier to tell them that he was sick, dying and without a cure. But this... This was worse. So much worse. He had to tell them that he was being turned into a monster and would outlive them all. No. He couldn't be the one to tell them. He could already feel his heart rate rising.

“Tifa...?”

He didn't have to say the words for her to know what he was asking. She nodded, smiling reassuringly at him as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Twice now, Cloud passed out cold.” She told the others, and they were instantly more alert. None of them said anything though, letting Tifa continue her story first. “The first time, he was unconscious for days. When he woke up, his eyes had changed.”

All eyes fell on Cloud and he made an effort not to look away. They were all trying to see what Tifa was talking about, but it was difficult to see at a distance. “They're turning gold.” He told them.

Suddenly, Yuffie was ridiculously close, leaning towards him and he felt himself leaning backwards. She was staring at his eyes and he looked back at her, knowing that if her curiosity wasn't satisfied, she simply wouldn't leave him alone.

After a moment, she pulled back. “Pretty.” She told him. “I want them too!”

He shook his head, “No you don't.”

“Do you know what's causing this?” Vincent asked and Cloud nodded, once again looking to Tifa to give them the answers.

“The Planet is turning him into a WEAPON.” She said quietly.

There was silence, and Cloud wasn't sure if it had been better for her just to say it, or if she maybe should have slowly eased into it. Then again, maybe blunt force was the way to go in this situation. How do you slowly tell someone something so huge?

“WEAPON... as in, capital letters?” Yuffie asked, still staring at Cloud. He nodded.

“All the others are dead.” Sephiroth said slowly, still standing close to Cloud. “The Planet felt the need to replace them.”

“But... I thought the WEAPONs were made from the Planet?” Marlene said quietly, standing from her seat and moving close to Cloud. He was a little impressed with her training when she took his hand and began to check his pulse. Her first instinct was to check his vitals. He gave her a soft smile and shrug.

“We don't know for sure.” He said quietly, “We don't know much about them. They could've been transformed like... me.”

“So what does that mean?” Denzel asked, looking at Cloud with fear. It wasn't fear _of_ Cloud, but fear _for_ him.

“We don't know for sure.” He told him. “But it seems to be a slow process? I don't feel any different.”

“Why you?” Cole asked, finally taking a seat as he looked up at his 'big brother'.

“Because he's the strongest.” Yuffie said, “Right? It's because you're the strongest fighter...” Cloud nodded.

“Makes sense, I suppose.” Cid muttered, “Start with the strongest, make 'em stronger.”

“So what do you need us to do?” Marlene asked, pulling a small pen light from her pocket and shining it into his eyes. He blinked a few times at the bright light before letting her do her thing.

“Right now? I'm not sure. I don't want to do this.” He told her, and by extension, his family. “I don't want to change into... I guess I need ideas on how to stop it...”

“Have you tried _asking_ the Planet to stop?” Genesis suggested and Cloud thought on that.

“I guess it's worth a try...” He said. It was doubtful that the Planet would do as he asked, but there was no harm in asking, was there? That was if the Planet would even listen to him.

“I uh...” He found himself scratching the back of his neck, not quite sure how to say what he wanted to. He knew his face was turning red, but he pushed on anyway. “I thought of a way to stop it, but... But I'm not going to do that.” He looked at each of his friends, one at a time.

Nanaki, Yuffie, Cid, Barret, Vincent, Reeve, Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, Cole, Genesis, Sephiroth. His family, the people he cared about and who loved him for who he was – not because he was strong, not because he was a hero, but because he was _Cloud_.

“Instead... I'm going to live. I'm going to do what I can, when I can and...” He was struggling, he knew. He wasn't very good at these things. He could make a speech, if he had to, to rouse troops, to rally warriors, but of personal feelings? That's when he stumbled. “And I'm going to be a better friend.” That was the best that he could do. He didn't know how to explain what he meant, and he could only hope that they understood. Most of them would, and he was sure somebody would explain it to Yuffie eventually.

“Live instead...?” Marlene stopped what she was doing and stared at Cloud with wide, fearful eyes. “Does that mean you were going to...?” He nodded at her before looking away, unable to meet her eyes as she realised that he had seriously considered killing himself.

He could practically hear her determination as she swallowed before speaking again. “Thank you.” She said quietly, “For... thinking of us instead.”

“Y'know... whatever your need...” Barret offered, stepping forward and placing a gentle, reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder. He was comforting her, but speaking to him.

“We're here for you.” Tifa added.

“No matter what you need.” Vincent joined in.

“Working together we can figure something out, right?” Denzel spoke up.

As his friends all rallied around him, offering him unconditional support, Cloud was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. He nodded, keeping his head down so that they wouldn't see the tears that were forming. “Thank you.” He said to them all, meaning it whole heartedly.

He'd somewhat expected more shock, more disgust at the creature that he was to become, but instead, his friends had stood by him, asking nothing more than how they could help.

He was beginning to feel a little light headed and felt himself stumbling slightly. The world started shaking, and everything went dark.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

“You want answers.”

Cloud opened his eyes, blinking at the sudden brightness that surrounded him. He was somewhere familiar, the place between life and death, the garden that he'd been to on so many occasions. The flowers were the same under his boots, the sky was white and dreamlike but for the first time, that wasn't all that was there.

A large, shining blue crystal stood before him, hovering above the ground, spinning slowly on its axis. He blinked at it for a moment before looking for the voice he'd heard. He didn't care if seeing the avatar would cause them to disappear. Not this time. The voice was completely unfamiliar to him and he really just didn't give a shit about what the Planet had to say this time.

There was a woman, sitting next to the crystal. Bright red hair framed her young face as she looked up at him with equally red eyes. She gave him a soft smile and stood. “You want answers, right?” She asked, “About what's happening to you...”

Could this woman give him those answers? She looked so young, maybe twenty? But then again, age didn't denote knowledge, as he knew so very well. She stepped forward and looked up at him, her head tilted to one side.

He gave a little nod. If she could give him answers, he would take them.

“Hmm... There's so much that you should know... I don't even know where to begin.” She said, hand moving up to her mouth as she thought.

“Who are you?” He found himself asking. Never before had he been in contact with someone here that he didn't already know. Except Ifalna, but Sephiroth had known her and he had been the one talking to the Planet. He had honestly thought that he couldn't meet anybody new here.

Then again, this wasn't exactly the same place he'd been to before. There had never been a blue crystal, and the air felt... different in a way that he couldn't describe.

“You know...” The girl had a small frown on her face as she looked up to the white sky as if it would hold all the answers. “It's been so long that I can't remember what people used to call me...” She shook her head and smiled at Cloud again, “But your people called me 'Ruby', so I guess that works.”

“Ruby?”

She nodded, her hands going behind her back as she rocked on her heels. “Mhmm. Just like you'll one day be known as Topaz.”

Cloud's eyes opened wider in surprise as he stared at the young woman in front of him. She was still smiling at him. This woman was... a WEAPON? Was this where they ended up? Where he was going to end up? Did that mean that she had returned to the lifestream? That maybe one day, he would too?

“Now you're getting it.” She sounded like a teacher, congratulating her student on understanding a difficult subject. “This is where we exist.” She gestured around with her hand.

“Where are we?” He had to know. Was this a part of the lifestream? It felt different, very different, and he couldn't quite place how, but it didn't _feel_ like the lifestream.

“We're in the centre, the Heart of the World.” She turned to look at the crystal, “You understand what the lifestream is.” It wasn't a question, “You know that the lifestream flows beneath the Planet's surface. But that's not all. It flows _around_ the Planet. A lot of people think that the lifestream _is_ the Planet, that it's conciousness comes from there.” She shook her head, “But the essence of the Planet, the thoughts and feelings... they come from there.” She gestured at the crystal. “The Crystal _is_ the Heart of the Planet.”

Cloud's eyes were drawn to the brilliant blue, taking in the sight. This was the mind of the Planet? This was the thing that had dictated to him most of his life? This was the creature that had taken away his son? He wanted to hit it, slash at it and shatter it. He wanted to make the Planet _hurt_. But he held back. He knew he couldn't. Hurting the Planet would hurt a lot of people, and probably wouldn't actually damage the Planet itself in any real way.

“You're not ready to see it yet.” Ruby spoke again, her voice sad and a hand reaching out to gently touch the shining stone. “But one day you will be...” She dropped her hand and turned back to Cloud, giving him yet another smile. “When your transformation is complete.”

“You were like me...” He said quietly, fitting the pieces together. This woman had been human once, and she had been changed into the creature that he and his friends had defeated so many years ago.

She nodded. “But it's okay.” She said, “The Planet needed my help, and I gave it.”

“But... I don't want to help.” Cloud told her.

She shook her head, “You do.” She told him, “Or... you will...” She moved to stand in front of him, still smiling. Cloud was beginning to get irritated with that smile. She said she had answers, but so far, all she had done was give him more questions and she seemed far too happy about his fate.

She seemed to sense what he was thinking and she shook her head, “Time works differently here.” She told him. “This is the first time you've met me but... I've known you for centuries.”

Again, his eyes flew up to look at her in shock. Centuries? That meant that he'd been here, or at least, a part of him had, for a very long time. Did that mean that his fate was inevitable? That he had no way of escaping it?

“One day, you'll understand.” She told him, her voice taking on a sad tone. “One day, you'll be here, and you'll be here because you want to be.”

“You're not making any sense.” He told her, his questions multiplying with everything she was saying.

“I suppose I'm not...” She agreed with a sigh. “Maybe you should just ask your questions...”

“How do I stop it?” That was the first question on his list. If she would answer that one, if she could give him a way, then the rest of his questions didn't matter. If he could stop the transformation, if he could stop himself from becoming like her, then he could die happy never knowing the rest.

She shook her head again, “You can't.” She told him. “It's already been done.” Her tone was so final that he had to believe her. She said it like it was common knowledge, as if she was saying that the sky was blue and the ocean was wet.

He felt his heart drop, he felt his world collapsing around him. There was no way to stop it? He would become a monster, and there was nothing he could do? He took a few deep breaths, pushing away the rising panic with great effort. She still had more to tell him, more answers to give.

“Don't be so sad.” Ruby reached out, a hand resting on his shoulder. “It's not all that bad.”

“Will I... ever join the lifestream?” That was question number two. Would he be able to be with his friends, to see them off in the final life before rebirth?

She tilted her head to the side as if considering her answer. How hard was it? It should be a yes or no answer. What was there to think about?

“Hmmm. Sort of.” She said, “When my friends and family did, I could go and visit them until they moved on.” Her hand went back to her mouth as she spoke, a finger pressing against her bottom lip. “But you'll never stay there.” She added. “You'll come here, instead.”

But he could visit them. He could see his friends and family...

“How long do I have?” He asked, his third question.

“As long as you need.” Ruby's answer was cryptic and he gave her a half glare until she sighed and continued, “The transformation won't become complete until you want it to.” She offered, “Until then, you'll stay human, you'll live, you'll age... But you wont die.”

“I won't...” Did that mean that he was immortal?

Ruby shook her head, “Not from age or illness. And until the transformation is complete, you won't die from injury. You'll sleep, and recover.”

“Sleep?”

With an exasperated sigh, Ruby shook her head again. “You really do like to repeat words, don't you?” She questioned, “I guess some things never change... If you get hurt badly enough, your body will find its way to a... what do your people call it? A mako source? Where the lifestream is near the surface?” He nodded and she continued, “Your body will find its way to a mako source and you'll sleep within it until you're repaired.”

He nodded. That made sense. Sort of. “Then why...” He gestured at her, “Why did you...?” Die? _Was_ she dead? He knew that the WEAPONs had been defeated, and that they could no longer function. That was the whole reason he was being changed into one, wasn't it? So why didn't they simply find a mako source and sleep?

“When the transformation is complete, your body can no longer host a soul.” She told him, “When you've become the WEAPON, your soul will come here. It's your soul that will keep you alive until then. When it comes here, your body can be destroyed.”

That made absolutely no sense. Why wouldn't the Planet make a WEAPON that could keep its soul? Wouldn't it make sense for your weapons to be indestructible?

“Why not leave the soul in the body?” He asked, “Why not make sure that it can't die?”

“Because... As you get closer to the end of your transformation... everything will become instinct. Your drive to protect the Planet will overrule everything else, and sometimes, that's not a good thing. Sometimes, there are consequences that you can't see if you're running on instinct alone. There has to be a way to stop you if something goes wrong...”

Cloud's head hurt. She had given him so much information, it was hard to take it all in. He was going to be a WEAPON. Nothing could stop that from happening but... he wouldn't change until he was ready? Until he gave in, he would stay human, but couldn't die? And when he _did_ give in, he would come here? To the Heart of the Planet where the crystalline conciousness resided? Where the souls of the other WEAPONs would stay, never able to return to the lifestream?

“Why can't you return to the Planet?” He asked her.

“Because my job isn't done.” She answered, “We're here to protect the Planet. We'll travel with it, when it goes to a new world, and we'll protect it along its journey.” She looked at the crystal again, “When it lands on a new world, the soul within the crystal will join the new lifestream. Four of us will stay behind, we'll become the wind, the water, the earth, the fire. We'll be the ones who will protect the crystal until it's able to bury itself. Then... then we'll join the new lifestream and everything begins again.”

“And until then, you stay here?” Cloud looked around again, the white sky, the flowers blooming into the distance. It was nice but... there was nothing there. Living in this place for centuries, millennia... that would drive him insane.

“Kind of.” She told him, seeming to really like those words. “Time works differently here, remember? And we _can_ visit the surface. We can take on forms and spend some time there...”

“Forms?”

For his single word question, he got another half glare and sigh. “Yes. Forms. We can't be human again, but we can be other things. Like... Moogles! Or Chocobos. Once, I was a cat.” She seemed oddly satisfied with that. “But we always come back here. And when we're up there, we can't interact with the world in any way that our form wouldn't normally. So you know.. no talking cats or anything. It's mostly just a way to do something, to watch over the world, see it change.”

That... didn't sound like the worst thing in the world. Cloud couldn't see him taking on the form of a cat, or even a chocobo, but at least he would still have a presence, he could still do things and wouldn't be stuck here forever. Just until the Planet.. died...

“I'm sorry... It's a lot to take in...” Ruby stepped back and was giving him that damn _smile_ again. “Hey, any time you want to... you can come here now. Just think on how this world feels, and you can come here.” Her head tipped to the side again as she stepped away, hands behind her back. She leaned forward, grinning at him. “If you need to step out of time, or just somewhere else to be.. We're here.”

He was about to reply when he noticed that everything was getting darker. He felt like he was falling backwards, his centre of gravity off completely. The world shifted and he was suddenly in his room in 7th Heaven, lying on his bed.

He blinked up at the wooden ceiling for a moment, trying to take in everything that he'd just been told. Movement beside him made him turn his head and he came face to face with a sleeping Sephiroth. Gently, he stroked the man's cheek.

He could stay here. He could stay here with Sephiroth, and Tifa and the others, and he wouldn't have to leave them. Not until he wanted to. He wasn't going to change until he was ready, and he would live and age with them. And when he finally was ready, when he let go and joined Ruby in the Heart of the Planet, he would be able to visit his friends in the lifestream. He didn't have to worry about losing himself, about centuries alone.

Maybe... he could do this after all?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big plans ahead. Things are starting to move somewhere, but the next chapter or two might be more on the fluffy side. This chapter was rather heavy...
> 
> Please also check out the newest side story, Zeke's Choice.


	11. New Remembrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud meets yet another dead person from his past

The sun was peaking it's early light through the window of their room when Sephiroth began to wake. Cloud didn't know how long he'd lay there, gently stroking his lover's hair and watching him, but it had to have been a while.

Sephiroth's cat like eyes blinked open and found his, widening slightly as a smile spread across his face. “You're awake.” He said softly and Cloud nodded, returning the smile. It was small moments like these, moments when the world faded away and all that mattered was the two of them, moments like these that Cloud cherished most of all.

“Why didn't you wake me?” Sephiroth asked, moving only enough to gently stroke a finger down Cloud's chest.

“You looked so peaceful.” Cloud answered, “And I knew I'd be here when you woke up.” He leaned closer, gently giving Sephiroth a kiss and what should have been a nice moment was ruined when Cloud pulled back with a small grimace. “Morning breath.” He muttered, “Go brush your teeth.”

Sephiroth chuckled and slowly moved, stretching his back before climbing out of bed. He dressed himself then hesitated for a moment.

“I'll still be here.” Cloud reassured him, “And I'll be awake.”

“You seem better today.” Sephiroth remarked, still watching Cloud, who simply gave a shrug. He knew that the man wasn't only speaking about his physical health. It had been a taxing few days for the both of them, and Cloud couldn't fault him for being worried about his emotional well being.

“I got some answers.” He sat up, stretching his aching muscles and gathering his own clothes. “I know what's going to happen now and... it's not so bad.” The idea of not being with Sephiroth in the lifestream was a hard one, but he could visit whenever he wanted. He didn't know if there was a time limit on his visits or not, but he did know that he would spend as much time as he could with him. The idea that they wouldn't be forcibly separated calmed Cloud, reassured him in ways that he couldn't even begin to explain.

“How so?” Sephiroth still seemed a little on edge, and Cloud reached for his hand, pulling him back to the bed to sit beside him.

“Well... Until the transformation is complete, I'll live like normal. I'll still be more or less human. I'll even age.” He threaded their fingers together and leaned against Sephiroth, his head resting on the other man's shoulder.

“And... when the transformation is complete?”

“I'll join the others.” Cloud looked down at their hands, thumb idly stroking Sephiroth's fingers. “My body will become a WEAPON, and my soul will join the souls of the other WEAPONs. Kind of like... a mini lifestream.” The hand in his own tightened slightly and Cloud shook his head, “I'll be able to visit the normal lifestream.” He told him, “But I'll still have a job to do... Protecting... something important.”

“For how long..?”

Cloud chuckled, then started laughing. Something ironic had just occurred to him and he couldn't help it. “Until we sail the cosmos in search of a new world.”

Wasn't it exactly what the Sephiroth from his world had wanted to do? Sail the cosmos in search of a new world. Use the energy of the lifestream to propel them onwards. After everything they'd been through, after all the times he'd defeated that Sephiroth, Cloud would now be the one to live out the man's dream. If Sephiroth had just been more patient... It might have been him instead.

Sephiroth was giving him a confused, startled, and slightly worried look and Cloud just shook his head, taking a breath to let the laughter subside. “Sorry.” He muttered, “It's just... that's what the Sephiroth of this world wanted to do... Only he wanted to do it _now_ instead of in however many thousands of years it'll take to do it naturally.”

“Thousands...”

Okay, so this was a lot to take in, and clearly Cloud wasn't as adept as Ruby at explaining things. Sephiroth seemed very confused, and Cloud couldn't really blame him. He paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain things better.

“Right. The transformation will only be complete when I let it. When I'm ready to... die, I suppose. When that happens, my body will change into something like what AVALANCHE fought. But that body can't host a soul. I don't know why. But when my body can't hold my soul anymore, I'll go to a new place...” He was speaking while he was thinking now, not giving Sephiroth a chance to interrupt and make him lose his train of thought. “The souls of the other WEAPONs are there, and I'll join them. Apparently time works differently there, and it sort of all happens at once. So while it'll be thousands of years for the surface, I don't think it'll be long for me...? I don't really understand that part. When the Planet's life cycle is complete, the surface will die, and the lifestream will move on to the next world and start again.”

Sephiroth was staring at Cloud, and he wondered if his explanation still wasn't very good. He kind of understood some of the concepts. The idea about time working differently still confused him, but he wasn't surprised about that. For most of his life – the parts that the Planet wasn't playing with anyway – time had been pretty consistent. He might have been asleep for some of it, or even dead, but time still marched on. One second after the next. One year following the last. But from what Ruby said, it sounded like time in the Heart of the Planet happened almost all at once.

Thinking too hard on that would give him a headache, he was sure.

“Where did you learn all of this?” Sephiroth asked, still staring at Cloud.

“From one of the other WEAPONs.” Cloud told him. He was going to explain more, to tell Sephiroth about the Heart of the Planet, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Put your pants on, I'm coming in!” Was the only warning Genesis gave before swinging the door open. He looked at the two of them with a small smirk. “Don't you two make a lovely couple?” He muttered, shaking his head, “C'mon. That _darling_ barmaid of yours asked that I fetch you.”

“You know, she _owns_ the bar.” Cloud pointed out, giving Genesis a half glare. Tifa _hated_ being called a barmaid. He sighed and stood. Genesis didn't look like he was about to leave any time soon, and he was kind of curious about what Tifa wanted.

The wondered down the stairs. They were almost at the bottom when Cloud heard a very familiar voice that made him stop in his tracks. A young voice, from a distant memory. It took him a few seconds to figure out where he'd heard it before.

“No...” He shook his head, taking a step back and almost falling when his foot hit the next step. That voice... it was...

“Cloud?” Sephiroth turned to face him, looking once again confused and worried. “Are you alright?”

But Cloud wasn't listening to Sephiroth. He was concentrating on the voice in the bar. A voice he thought he'd never hear again. One that he had thought he had forgotten. It had been so long. “It can't be...” She kept talking, and with every muffled word, Cloud was growing more and more sure. Each syllable reminded him of her. Of that day.

“Cloud? What is it?” Sephiroth stepped closer to him, hand on his arm to steady him.

The voice was speaking to Tifa, warm and kind, familiar. Tifa said her name and Cloud recoiled. “Ma..?”

Behind him, Genesis sighed, “Not yours.” He told Cloud, almost making him jump. He had all but forgotten that Genesis was following them down from the room. “She's the mother of Cole. From the other world.”

Cloud shook his head rapidly. “I-” No. Hearing that voice brought him back to the last time he'd heard it. To heat, the smoke, the charred body he'd found in his home. The memories were burning as fierce as the flames once had. He stumbled back another step before turning around and quickly making his way back up to his room and closing the door tightly behind him. He took a deep breath, then another. He could smell the smoke, feel the burning flames surround him. He could see the red glow that had encompassed the town and it was closing in on him, roaring in his ears so loudly that it blocked out all other sounds.

He couldn't face that woman. Couldn't be reminded of one of his earliest failures. The first person to die because of him. He couldn't deal with that reminder. Not now.

He took another breath, holding it for as long as he could before letting it out slowly. 

That woman wasn't his mother. She hadn't been the one to be slaughtered in Nibelheim. She didn't really have anything to do with him, not really. His mother was dead. Long dead and barely remembered. She wasn't the woman who had raised him single handedly only to watch him leave the moment he was old enough.

That was Cole's mother. _Cole's_. Not his. He had never even met her. He hadn't even _thought_ of her in his time in that world. She really did have nothing to do with him. She was a part of the life that he could never have.

Another deep breath, then another, and the flames of his memories began to recede, to slowly fade as he reminded himself of where he was, of when he was. He continued breathing slowly, eyes trained on the two stuffed chocobos on his shelf. The one that had been given to Zeke and the other that Sephiroth had bought for him. They sat there, small, fluffy, innocent and grounded him in reality, easing him out of his panic.

The knock against the door he was still leaning against made him jump slightly and he had to take another deep breath to prevent the adrenaline spike. “Cloud?” Sephiroth's voice came from the other side of the wood, sounding unsure and somewhat afraid. “Can I come in?”

Slowly, Cloud stepped away from the door and found his way to the bed on shaking legs. He couldn't speak for a moment, words just not leaving his throat but after a few seconds, he managed a croaky “come in” and Sephiroth let himself in, shutting the door behind him.

“Cloud?” His lover regarded him, worried but cautious of his emotions. There had been times that Cloud had lashed out while in full on panic mode, and while he had never physically hurt Sephiroth, they both knew that he was capable. Unless he was sure where Cloud's head was, Sephiroth always stayed back until he knew he was safe. Normally, Sephiroth knew exactly what had triggered Cloud, but this time he seemed to have no idea, which lead to caution.

“I'm...” He cleared his throat and shook his head, “Sorry. I... That was...”

“Unexpected.” Sephiroth sighed and finally sat down beside Cloud. “I didn't realise that she would come here.” He told him. “You were unconscious for two days again. During that time, Reeve got word that people had appeared in Nibelheim. The entire village from our world... He sent people to debrief them.”

“And Ma- Raine decided that she wanted to visit her son in the big city...” Cloud added, closing his eyes and taking another slow, steadying breath. It made sense to him, and Reeve had probably been more than happy to give her a ride over. “So why is she here?” He asked, “In 7th Heaven...?”

“You and Tifa are the only survivors of the Nibelheim incident.” Sephiroth pointed out quietly. “She probably wanted to speak with the two of you, the same way that Cole did.”

Cloud nodded. That sort of made sense. “Then... I should go meet her...”

Sephiroth gave Cloud a reassuring smile that instantly made Cloud feel calmer. Once again, he reminded himself that this wasn't _his_ mother, that she hadn't seen the fires of Nibelheim. He took a deep breath and made his way back down to the bar proper.

As much as he'd psyched himself up to meet her, hearing her voice was nothing compared to seeing her in person. The moment he lay eyes on her, he remembered. He remembered the sweet smiles she would give him, the reassuring hugs when the bullying was bad. He remembered the way her eyes would light up whenever he did anything that impressed her, and how her brow would wrinkle whenever he'd done something to disappoint her.

It hit him like a punch to the gut, and he had to take a few more deep breaths to centre himself as he stepped forward, pushing away the memories of the last time he'd seen the woman who was so much like her.

“So,” She turned on him, the moment that he arrived, “You're my son from this world?” She looked him over, her crystal blue eyes taking him in from head to toe. “You never grew any taller, did you?” She asked with a soft sigh and a shake of her head. “Come here, let me look at you.”

It was almost as if she could command reunion. He was hopeless to stop himself from stepping forward at her command, coming to stand in front of her while she looked him over.

She nodded, seemingly satisfied. “That Mr. Reeve told me what was going on. I can't say I understand it, but you are definitely my boy all grown up.”

“I'm not...” Cloud shook his head and took a step back, “I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm not your son.” He told her, to which she shook her head.

“Pfft. Just because you weren't born from me doesn't make you not family.” She told him, her voice almost scolding, “I know I'm not your mother, I know your mother is gone and I'd never want to take her place, but you _are_ my boy.” He was going to protest again, but she held out her hand. Memories rushed into him, making the gesture all too familiar. He was being scolded into silence. “You adopted my boy as your brother. You took him in when he had nobody else, didn't you?”

Well... yes... he did... Unable to form words, he mutely nodded in answer.

She gave a satisfied smile, “Well then. If you're my boy's brother, in one way or another that makes you my boy too.”

Cloud stared at her, somewhat stunned. She had a point, but he wanted to protest. She didn't know the first thing about him. She might have heard the stories, heard what he'd done, but she didn't know _him_. How could she be willing to accept him as family if she had never met him before?

“Oh don't give me that look!” Again, he was being scolded, but this time it was accompanied by a smile. “Now, you're all skin and bones.” She pointed to a chair, “Sit down and I'll find you something to eat.” She turned to Tifa, “If it's okay with you, I'll use your kitchen.”

Tifa waved an arm to the kitchen, gesturing for Raine to feel free, and the woman toddled off in search of food.

Cloud stared after her, still stunned. It wasn't until she was out of sight that he realised he'd actually followed her orders and sat down in the chair she'd pointed at. “Tifa...” He slowly tore his eyes from the doorway and looked at his childhood friend. “Ma's cooking is worse than mine...”

With a laugh, Tifa shook her head, “I'll go 'help' then, shall I?”

There was a hand on Cloud's shoulders, and he looked up to see the amused look on Sephiroth's face. “That went a lot better than when I met my mother for the first time.” He pointed out, taking the seat beside Cloud. There was a question on his face, concern. Cloud just nodded at him, giving his own silent answer.

“Well.” Genesis piped up from the other side of the bar, “That was enlightening.” He was smirking at Cloud over the book he was reading. “I had thought that maybe it was only the child and the barmaid that you couldn't say no to. Now I'm thinking that perhaps it's all women.”

Cloud shot him a glare, but otherwise ignored him, concentrating instead on his wildly churning thoughts. His mother. Not his real mother, but a very close facsimile, was currently in his kitchen making him some food. It was so surreal that Cloud wasn't entirely sure that he'd actually woken up from his latest coma.

“Seph...”

“Hmm?”

“Is... my mother... cooking dinner?” He asked quietly. He knew that Genesis would be able to hear him, and hoped that the other man had enough tact not to intrude on this moment. He needed to make sure that he wasn't losing his mind (again), and needed reassurances. What he _didn't_ need was another quip. Thankfully, Genesis kept his mouth closed.

“It appears so.” Was the answer he got from Sephiroth.

Cloud nodded his head once. Okay. So his mother. A woman who had been dead for more than half his life, was suddenly back. And cooking him dinner. Really, he should be more used to people coming back from the dead, but this one was one he'd never even dreamed of getting back. It was still early in the morning, but his day had started out very strangely.

The door of the bar opened and someone walked in. “Uhm...” Cole slowly wandered inside, still looking like he felt like he didn't belong and Cloud smiled a little, glad for the minor distraction.

“Cole.” He said, voice vaguely scolding, “Stop looking so lost.”

The look he got in reply was one of a baby chocobo, all confused and surprised and Cloud couldn't help but chuckle. “You're family.” He reminded him, “Stop looking like you don't belong here. You're just as welcome here as I am.” Cloud knew that that would be an unfamiliar concept to Cole. After years of relentless bullying, having somewhere where you're completely accepted and welcomed was a difficult thing to get used to. It had taken Cloud months to feel at home in the bar, after all.

“Okay...” The boy still looked a little uncomfortable, but did relax slightly. “Is... my mother here?”

Wordlessly, Cloud pointed to the kitchen and Cole grimaced and sighed. “She's cooking?”

“I believe that Tifa is the one cooking.” Sephiroth provided and Cole relaxed and let out a breath of relief. “Is she really that bad?” Sephiroth enquired and both Cloud and Cole nodded.

“I don't know how I survived.” Cloud said quietly.

“We lived off stew for about ten years.” Cole pointed out, draping himself over a chair at their table. “And Mr. Tolls from the Inn used to send us food.”

Cloud remembered now, the small, quiet man had been the only person in the town who had actually had any time for the Strife family. He had sent care packages home with Cloud a few times, and would often stop by the house to check on them. Now that he thought about it, now that he was remembering things, the man had been around at their house a _lot_ , and usually with really flimsy excuses too.

“Wait...” Cloud frowned, thinking about things. “Where he and ma...?”

Cole paused and blinked a few times in surprise. “Uhm...” He seemed to think about things before turning a little pink. “Maybe...” He shook his head with a grimace, “I don't want to think about that.”

Cloud could only agree. Thinking about his mother's sexual exploits was not something he really wanted to do. And really, she was an adult who could make her own decisions. It was none of his business , right?

The door opened and another person entered the bar. “Cloud! You're awake!” Yuffie bounced towards them with a grin, “Good! I was hoping you would be. I wanted to say bye before I had to go.” She stood in front of Cloud and leaned forward, her hand outstretched.

With a fond sigh and a shake of his head, Cloud dug into his pocket and pulled a small piece of materia out and dumped it in her open palm. She froze for a moment, staring down at it wide eyed. “No! I mean – I didn't mean it!” She back peddled but didn't give the materia back. For as long as he'd known her, it was her usual goodbye. She would come up to him, and demand materia from him.

Normally, he would tell her that he didn't have any, or that she couldn't have it, or even to get lost. In ten years, this was the first time he'd ever actually handed her some. He shrugged, fighting the urge to grin at her. She was still babbling about not actually wanting to take his materia. “Yuffie.” He said, stopping her mid sentence. “I found this one, in the other world.” He said, “It's not mastered, I got it about half way there.” He reached forward and closed her hand around it. “You'll have to get it the rest of the way there.”

She stared down at their hands, still wide eyed and surprised. After a moment, she nodded and pulled her hand away, pocketing the small orb. “So why now?” She asked.

Again, Cloud just shrugged, “I said I want to be a better friend, didn't I? I'm not using it.... and friends give each other gifts... right?” He was still drawing on the knowledge that Zack had left him – that, and the things he'd learned from the other version of Zack, the one that was still alive in the other world. He remembered that Sephiroth had asked the man a similar question once, and it seemed that giving gifts was a good thing for friends to do.

“Well... I guess...” Yuffie stood up straight and looked down at Cloud, an odd expression filtering on her face before she attempted to hide it. “Are you alright?” She asked quietly, and Cloud remembered that the last time they'd spoken, he'd admitted to his friends that he'd contemplated killing himself.

“Yeah.” He told her, trying put as much reassurance in his voice as he could. He wasn't sure if he was successful or not, but after another moment of looking at him, she nodded and stepped back.

“Well,” Her tone was back to being boisterous and energetic. “Don't forget to come say hi at some point!” She ordered, her voice wavering for a moment before she gave him a grin and wandered towards the kitchen.

“Yep.” Genesis brought attention back to himself. The man was giving himself a satisfied grin. “Definitely can't say no to women. Oh what a character flaw to have. Probably a good thing you prefer the company of men.”

– – – – – – – –

The small apartment above the bar didn't have enough space for Raine, but apparently Reeve had sorted that out, and had provided her with somewhere in the city to stay. As much as Cloud had appreciated her visit once the awkwardness had faded, he was somewhat glad for her to leave. She'd asked him too many questions and had been very enthusiastically reminding him that he was a hero in both worlds. He didn't like to hear that. He could understand how other people would see him as such, but to him, it had always felt like too big of a title, one that he didn't feel that he'd lived up to.

He'd forgotten just how much of a presence his mother had. While this woman wasn't his mother, she was trying very had to fit into that gap in his life. She was succeeding, mostly, and Cloud found it strange to be mothered by a woman less than a decade older than him. But it wasn't all bad. With her company, he'd found himself remembering a lot of his past. Most of it was small things, and none of it really mattered in the long scheme of things, but for the first time in a very long time, Cloud was remembering who he was.

But the woman was damn exhausting.

It was late at night and the bar had just closed when Cloud sought out Tifa. For some reason, seeing his mother again made him want to spend time with her, almost like he was a little nostalgic for the only person that he could have called a friend in Nibelheim. Silently, he helped her clean up some of the bigger messes and together they had the bar clean and ready in record time.

“You're not sure what to make of her, are you?” Tifa asked, smiling softly at Cloud.

He shook his head, “Is... She the same?” He asked. Even though he'd spent a few hours with her, and gained back a lot of small memories, he couldn't be sure. Tifa had met her, his real mother, a few times in the past, and her memories were a lot more reliable than Cloud's.

She nodded, “Pretty much.” She told him, pouring herself a drink. She reached under the bar and pulled out a bottle of fine whiskey and poured one for Cloud. He couldn't get drunk, but he did like the taste at times, so he accepted the drink and they sat at a table.

He stared at the glass for a short while, fingers idly playing with the condensation that was forming on the outside. “I wanted to tell you,” He said quietly, “That I'm going to be okay.” He looked up from the glass, feeling that it was important that he be looking at her for this.

Yuffie's earlier reactions had reminded him that he hadn't actually told anybody but Sephiroth what he'd found out, but for some reason, he wasn't ready to share all of it.

“I got some answers.” He said, his tone conveying that he wouldn't answer any of hers. Not yet. “And I'm going to be okay. I'll be here for a long time yet... and I wont change right away.”

Tifa gave a small nod. He could see from her expression that she wanted to ask questions, that she wanted to know where he had got his information, and what exactly he meant, but she also knew that he wouldn't answer her. She would let it go for now, but eventually she would demand her answers, and eventually, Cloud would give them.

Until then, this was enough. He knew that she would send reassurances to the others.

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm going a little more slow lately. More medical stuff, more real life drama. Hoping to get another chapter up in the next couple of days, but I may be out of action for a while (migraines tend to knock me out for a week or two at a time). Please bare with me. 
> 
> Also thinking of writing some NSFW smut (to be posted seperately) if enough people are interested. I don't want to put that in the main story, to keep it open to more audiences (also, it's not really a major part of the story). So if you'd be interested in reading that, be sure to let me know. Not sure what my audience wants, so I thought I'd check before spending energy doing something that isn't really wanted.


	12. A New Turn of Events

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new, unexpected visitor to the bar brings with them a new problem for Cloud to face.

“You're really moving out?”

Ever since Cloud had told his friends what was happening to him, Marlene had been visiting daily, checking his vitals and writing things down on a sheet. Cloud had no idea what she was doing, but had a feeling it had to do with her study in medicine. It was only vaguely reminiscent of the other times he'd been in the care of medical professionals, and nothing like when he'd been the subject of a scientific study, so he let her do it. Her touch was kind and gentle, and Cloud had to wonder if this was what a doctor was supposed to be like.

If it made her feel better about what was happening to him, he could indulge her.

He gave her a soft smile and a nod. “Yeah.” She was shining that light into his eyes again, and he forced himself not to blink or turn away. “The bar's a little full now.” He pointed out, “And I have a place that's just sitting there, empty.”

Marlene nodded and put the light away, reaching for something in her medical pack. “Tifa will miss you, you know.” She said, fishing out a thermometer and placing it under his tongue. Dutifully, he closed his mouth and waited. “But... you're just across the street, right? I think you live even closer than Denzel, Cole and I do.”

He frowned at that. When did Cole move in with Denzel and Marlene? It made sense for him to. He couldn't imagine how the rest of the troop had reacted to finding out that Cole had befriended them. In their world, Sephiroth had been the owner of New Shinra, with Cloud as his right hand man. Cloud was also their General. The bullying had probably gotten worse. People didn't really like it when somebody they deemed less important than them had something like that happen to them, and tended to lash out about it. Cloud was all too familiar with that kind of mentality.

And they _had_ accepted Cole into their little family, which meant that Marlene had probably offered him a place the moment he'd first left the bar. It wouldn't surprise Cloud. Marlene had a very friendly and loyal personality, especially towards those her family deemed important.

The thermometer beeped, and Cloud opened his mouth, letting the youngest of their group take it. She looked at the readings for a moment before writing on the sheet. “What are you doing?” Cloud finally asked.

Marlene looked down at the clip board for a moment. “I'm monitoring you.” She said quietly and Cloud could hear the fear in her voice. Without thinking, he gently took the paper and put it aside, pulling the young woman into a hug.

“I'm not going anywhere.” He promised her, not meaning his physical move to a new apartment. “I'm going to be okay.” Her arms went around him, returning the hug.

“I know...” She didn't sound convincing, but Cloud didn't call her on it. “But... When you and Denzel had Geostigma, I couldn't do anything.” She pulled back from the hug and looked down at him. With him sitting on a chair, and her standing, she was slightly taller than him. “And none of the doctors could either...” She looked away, “I don't want to be that helpless again. So I'm studying. I'm specialising in the treatment of mako enhanced individuals...”

She cleared her throat and packed up her bag. “I don't know if you'll ever need me to help you, or if I'll even know what to do if you do... but at least knowing your base numbers, I'll have something to go off. Like.. did you know that mako enhanced individuals have a slightly lower average blood pressure? And a lower resting pulse? You also have a slightly higher temperature. If I didn't know these things, then I wouldn't know what isn't normal for you.” Cloud nodded, listening to her explanation.

“I don't think... I would trust anybody else to look after me.” He told her, completely honestly.

She beamed down at him, taking that for the compliment it obviously was. “So... Do you think you could get Seph to let me check his base numbers?” She asked, shuffling a little nervously, “Because I know he's different, that he was made different, but I don't have his numbers. If something happens to him...”

Cloud nodded, “I'll make sure he comes to see you.”

Her smile somehow managed to get wider and she threw her arms around Cloud again. He chuckled and returned the hug. “I'm glad you're back.” She said against his shoulder, squeezing him slightly.

“I'm glad to be back.” He told her. While he did miss the few friends he'd left behind in the other world, he _was_ glad to be home, back with the rest of his family.

– – – – – – – – – – –

“So this is a pretty big step.” Genesis remarked, bending down to look at something in one of the stalls they were passing.

“Hardily.” Sephiroth replied, shifting the bag he was holding into a more comfortable grip. He looked down at the produce before selecting a few and paying the vendor. “Tifa has sent me shopping before.”

Beside him, Genesis scoffed and rolled his eyes, “I mean moving in with Strife.” He picked up a red apple and studied it for a moment before nudging Sephiroth. Dutifully, the man handed a few more gil to the vendor and Genesis took a bite.

“Not really.” Sephiroth said with a shrug, “We've lived together before.”

“Officially? Or did he just happen to stay with you a lot more often than anywhere else?” Sephiroth knew what was happening. Genesis was trying to goad him into being flustered. It seemed to be his favourite pass time of late, and sometimes Sephiroth missed their days of rivalry.

“Yes, officially. His name was on the door and everything.” He shook his head as he lead them to another stall in the markets.

“You are full of surprises, my friend.” Genesis said, watching Sephiroth. The silver warrior shrugged and continued moving. “Right. Before we continue, coffee.” Genesis hooked his arm through Sephiroth's and pulled the man in a new direction. There was a small cafe on the corner of the street that they were on, and the crimson commander pulled them inside.

Sephiroth sighed but didn't protest, instead, he followed Genesis inside and took a seat at a table. Genesis joined him after a moment, two cups in hand. “So.” He said, regarding Sephiroth seriously, “Tell me.”

“Tell you what?” Sephiroth asked, taking his coffee and sipping at it. The heat didn't bother him, the mako healing him almost as soon as his throat burned.

Genesis gave a small, irritated sound, “You and the blond. Spill.”

Sephiroth looked at Genesis in confusion. “I don't understand what you're asking.”

“Of course you don't.” Genesis said with a sigh, shaking his head and flicking his hair from his face. “What drew you to him? Why him? Since when are you attracted to _anybody_? How long have you been together? Are you going to stick with him?”

Sephiroth blinked and thought for a moment. “He bested me in combat.” He answered the first question, “He is literally my soul mate.” He answered the second and third one, “Since Cloud. Depends on who you ask and yes.”

“Details.” Genesis demanded. “What do you mean ' _soul mate'_? Since when do _you_ believe in that sort of thing?”

“Since I met a man who travelled in time with the intent on saving me from a life of insanity.” Sephiroth drank some more of his coffee and settled himself down, realising that they could be there for a while. “The term 'soul mate' is not quite correct. The Cetra had a term for what we are, 'Nexis'. Literally intertwined. Our souls are so deeply connected and intertwined that even the Planet herself can't tell us apart. Should one of us die, we can follow that connection back.”

Genesis was staring at Sephiroth with disbelief, and Sephiroth shrugged. It was the truth. Whether or not Genesis believed him was up to him. “Riiiiggghhhht. Soul mate.” He gave Sephiroth a dubious look but Sephiroth just nodded. “You really believe that, don't you?” Genesis asked after a moment, a touch of surprise in his voice.

“I don't think I would have, if Cloud hadn't come back.” Genesis was waving his hand at him in a circle, motioning for him to continue. “He died. I held him as he returned to the lifestream – rather quickly actually – then a year later, he returned to us.”

Genesis was still giving Sephiroth a disbelieving look over his coffee cup, obviously not believing him.

Sephiroth sighed and put his own cup down. “He followed the thread of our connection back from the lifestream.”

“He came back from the dead...?” Still not believing.

Sephiroth shrugged again, “Yes.” He answered simply. There wasn't really much else he could say on the matter to convince his old friend.

“Alright. I'll buy that for now.” Genesis conceded, sipping at his drink again, “Now. What do you mean by 'depends on who you ask'?”

A small smirk played on Sephiroth's lips as he thought over his answer. “If you listen to his fan club, we've been together a little under five years.”

“And if I ask you?” Genesis countered.

“Three years.” Sephiroth answered simply, “But if you ask Cloud, then he'll likely say one.”

“Why the discrepancy?” Genesis seemed even more curious now, his cup had been placed on the table and he was leaning forward, waiting for Sephiroth's answer.

“We began our romantic relationship approximately seven days before he fell into a two year catatonic state. He may not count that time.” That was one thing that had never actually discussed. Cloud was reluctant to talk about his comatose years and Sephiroth had never felt the need to push him.

“And you waited?” Again, Genesis seemed genuinely surprised, almost as if he didn't think that Sephiroth would be capable of such an easy task.

“Yes.”

Genesis blinked at him, leaning back in his chair to regard Sephiroth. “Why?”

“Because I love him.” It was said easily, stated as the matter of fact that it was.

Genesis stared at Sephiroth for long enough for the man to get uncomfortable under the scrutiny, and Sephiroth found himself sighing yet again. “What is it?” He asked.

The Crimson SOLDIER just shook his head, a slightly dazed look on his face. “You really do, don't you?”

– – – – – – – – – –

When Sephiroth and Genesis returned to the bar, Cloud wasn't there. According to Tifa, he had already begun moving a few of their possessions to their new abode and would be back shortly. Sephiroth had just poured himself and Genesis a coffee when the door to the bar opened. A quick glance up told him that it wasn't anybody he knew.

“We're closed.” He told her.

The newcomer paused for a moment, looking around. “This is the only bar in the city, isn't it?” She asked.

“Yes, but we don't open for another three hours. Please come back then.” Sephiroth hated to repeat himself, but helping Tifa at the bar had given him plenty of opportunities to practice.

“I'm looking for Cloud Storm... I was told I could find him here...” Instead of leaving, she stepped inside, allowing the door to close behind her. She was small, and Sephiroth wasn't sure if she was even old enough to be in a bar.

“He's not here right now.” Sephiroth told her, eyes narrowing as he regarded her, “What business do you have with him?”

She shook her head, a small smile on her face. “I'm sure you wouldn't believe me.” She told him, walking forward until she reached the bar. “I'll wait for him here.” She declared.

“He said we're closed.” Genesis stood, looming over the small woman. She reflexively leaned backwards, keeping a distance between their faces.

She simply shrugged at him, “I'm sure he wont mind.”

“And how do you know our dear general?” Genesis wasn't backing down. A part of Sephiroth thought that maybe he should tell the other man to step back, but the other part of him wanted to know the answer too.

Not many people called Cloud 'Storm', there weren't many people who even knew that name here. If she was calling him that, then that meant she was probably from his world.

“He's a general?” The girl questioned, head tilting to one side as considered this thought.

Behind Genesis, the bar door opened again, and Genesis spoke to whomever was there without taking his eyes off the possible threat in front of him.

“We're closed!” He called out, only to receive a chuckle in return.

“I still live here.” Cloud had apparently returned home. “At least for now.”

Instantly, the diminutive woman in front of Genesis smiled widely. Without standing straight from her backwards lean, she leaned sideways to peer around Genesis. “There you are! I've been looking for you.” Seemingly unaware of the kind of threat Genesis could be, she danced around him and stepped forward. “You know, your temple is very far from your home.”

“Ruby?” The shocked tone of Cloud's voice and his wide, surprised eyes had Sephiroth's attention. Apparently he did know her, but he'd never mentioned a person by that name before. Not that that was surprising, there was still a lot that Sephiroth didn't know about Cloud, after all.

Sephiroth watched as his stunned lover stepped further into the bar, his eyes never leaving the small red-headed woman now stood in the middle of the bar. She was grinning up at him, her hands behind her back as she leaned forward.

“But I thought...” Cloud's voice trailed off as he looked at her, reaching forward to poke a finger against her forehead. “I thought you couldn't be human anymore...” Couldn't be human? Sephiroth had no idea what Cloud was talking about, but he figured he could ask Cloud later, when he'd assessed the woman a little more.

“So did I.” She stood up and shrugged, “But apparently we have another mission.”

“Not interested.” Cloud countered almost immediately, waving a hand in front of his face in a disinterested way, his eyes narrowing slightly. From where he was, Sephiroth could see the tension building in Cloud's muscles.

His words caused the woman – Ruby – to pause and frown. “The Planet sent me here to find you. He said that we have another important mission to do...”

“He?” Sephiroth asked. In all his time, he'd never heard the Planet refereed to in the masculine, it had always been a 'she', the giver of life, the protector of souls. Even those, like him, who could communicate with the Planet believed it to be a she.

Ruby turned to face him at the question and shrugged, “This time around, yeah.” That made absolutely no sense to Sephiroth, but before he could ask her anything else, she had turned back to Cloud.

“I've done enough.” He told her, posture becoming more and more tense with every second. Sephiroth couldn't tell if Cloud was itching to fight or flee, but the man was obviously holding himself back from one or the other. “I've _given_ enough. No more.”

“He said that there's a 'reunion' that we have to stop, and that there are 'remnants' of a mess to clean.” Ruby said, looking like she was quoting someone. Her eyes had left Cloud to look up and her hand was gesturing with each word. “He told me to use those exact words. Do they mean anything to you?” She asked, once again regarding Cloud.

Obviously they did. Cloud's eyes went wide and he shook his head, “No. The Remnants are gone.” He told her firmly, “I was there when they died.” His tone spoke of finality, he was absolutely sure that whoever they were talking about were dead.

“His remnants are gone. _Hers_ remain. Seriously, does this make _any_ sense to you?” The woman really did sound confused, and a little bit irritated. Or at least, that's what Sephiroth was getting from her tone. “I'm used to him being cryptic and all, but normally I can kind of get what he wants me to do.” So... she could talk to the Planet too? Was she a Cetra? Sephiroth was under the impression that he was the only one in this world. Isn't that what Aerith had said? He looked to Cloud, ready to ask him when he noticed the look on his face. He was pale, eyes wide and his hands were shaking.

Quickly, Sephiroth stepped around the bar, walking passed his friends and the newcomer to stand beside Cloud. He knew that look, knew that it meant a panic attack was very near to the surface. He placed a comforting hand on Cloud's arm, not sure what else he could do. Hopefully he could calm Cloud before it came to full on panic.

“Yeah.” Cloud answered Ruby, hand reaching up to rub at his temples. “That-” He shook his head and looked up at Genesis. “Find Tifa.” He ordered, “Bring her here.”

For once, Genesis did ad he was asked without protest, slipping through the back door of the bar as Cloud moved to shakily take a seat. The girl joined him at the table, apparently waiting for an answer.

“Cloud?” Sephiroth questioned, grabbing a chair from a nearby table to sit next to him. His lover sighed and shook his head, holding on to his explanations for now, but he reached out and took Sephiroth's hand in a tight grip.

Tifa and Genesis returned after a moment, and Cloud looked up at his childhood friend, fear barely hidden in his expression. “Jenova has Remnants.” He told her and she paled.

“Why now?” She asked in a shaky voice, leaning her hands against the bar. Her eye flicked over the stranger with curiosity before turning back to Cloud.

“Okay. So you going to explain things yet?” Ruby asked, poking Cloud's arm. He glanced at her, batting her hand away before sighing.

“When the Sephiroth from this world came back the last time, it was through the Remnants. Remnants of his will that had escaped the lifestream and become human. He used Jenova's head to do some sort of Reunion and took over the body of Kadaj, the leader of the Remnants.”

Sephiroth really should have asked more about his counterpart. All he had known before this was that the man kept coming back from the dead. He had assumed that he'd simply used the Nexis bond to return, but apparently he had utilised other methods.

“And Jenova has Remnants too?” Genesis asked, obviously mentally filing questions away for another time.

Eyes fell on Ruby and she shrugged, “So the Planet says.”

After a moment, Cloud shook his head, “Find someone else.” He told her, “I'm tired of being a puppet.”

This earned him a glare. Apparently Ruby didn't like that answer. “And who else would we find?” She asked, voice low and dangerous. “You destroyed the Planet's WEAPONs. We are _literally_ his last defence. Your people wont do jack without your say so, and we apparently need the best. You're it.”

Cloud shook his head, “I've spent my entire adult life fighting Jenova. Every time I think it's over, there's more. That's it, I'm done! No. More!” He was on his feet, glaring down at the young woman, “You can go back and report that in, because I am done.”

“But-” Ruby stared up at him, not seeming to comprehend the answer he was giving her.

“I'm not going to lose anyone else!” Cloud was on his feet now, glaring down at her. “You don't get it, do you? It's been so long since you've been human that you don't remember loss.”

“People die.” Ruby also stood, glaring at Cloud, hands on her hips, “Some sooner than others, but in the end, everybody dies! That's the reality you live in!”

“I lost my son!” Cloud all but roared at her. His hands were balled into fists by his side, shaking with barely surpassed emotion.

Silence fell over the bar, and Ruby seemed to freeze for a moment, her glare softening in sympathy as she let out a breath. “I know.” After the shouting, her quiet whisper was almost lost to their ears. She looked down for a moment, taking a breath before looking back up at Cloud. “But if we don't do this, then you'll lose everyone.” Her voice was back up to a normal speaking level. “He said if we can't stop them here, they'll get to the Crystal.”

“Then maybe you should go back there and protect it.” Cloud told her, voice still dark. Without waiting for a reply, he strode away, climbing the stairs to his room without a single glance back.

Ruby dropped back into her chair with a dejected sigh, shaking her head and the room once again fell into silence.

“I've never seen him that angry before.” Tifa said quietly, still standing by the bar. Her dark eyes were still trained on Ruby with distrust. “Who _are_ you?”

Ruby huffed a small, sad laugh, shaking her head. “A messenger.” She said quietly without elaboration.

“Why send you?” Sephiroth asked, “Why not just go through me?”

Finally, Ruby looked up, her red eyes meeting Sephiroth's green ones. “Because you're untrained.” She told him, “Because you can understand some of what the Planet means, but not his _words_. He was quite adamant that his words be said exactly how he wanted them to. All you would have been able to see was that the world was in danger.” She shook her head, “If you even got that much.”

“So you're Cetra then?” Genesis took Cloud's abandoned seat to glare at her, and from where he sat, Sephiroth could see the tension in his muscles. The SOLDIER was ready to move if the woman tried to leave. They would have their answers one way or another.

“No.” Ruby shook her head, “Not exactly.”

“Then what are you? Where are you from?” Genesis leaned forward, attempting to be intimidating, but Ruby didn't look scared at all.

“I was born in a place called Narshe.” She told him.

Genesis' glare deepened, “Never heard of it.”

“You wouldn't have, it's-” Her answer was cut off mid sentence by another voice joining them.

“I can't get back.” Cloud's voice came from the doorway leading to the stairs, quietly interrupting. He was glaring at Ruby again, and Sephiroth could see defeat in his eyes. “You said I could go there, any time I wanted.” His eyes narrowed at her, silently accusing her of lying.

Ruby shrugged and shook her head again. “We can't go back until this is over.” She said sadly. “He's locked it down. Which means he can't communicate with _us_ either.” She looked up at Cloud, “If you don't help me, I can never return home and this world will die. The _Crystal_ will die.”

“Fine.” Cloud didn't sound overly happy about his acquiescence, but rather resigned to his fate, his voice still dark with warning. “But nobody else gets involved.”

Ruby nodded, seemingly fine with that idea, but Sephiroth definitely wasn't, and neither was Tifa. They both began to voice their protests but Cloud cut them off, holding his hand up and shaking his head. “I can't die.” He told them, “Not until my transformation is complete.” He finally took his eyes off Ruby to look at his friends. “I'll be fine.”

“That's not the point.” Sephiroth said, moving to step closer to Cloud. “What if you need-”

“I'm not losing anybody else.” Cloud repeated himself, not bothering to look back at them as he walked towards the exit.

“Cloud...” Sephiroth's voice made Cloud pause, hand ready to open the door. He hesitated for a moment before turning around, their eyes meeting.

“I'm sorry.” He said quietly, and for a moment, it looked like he was going to say more, but he just shook his head and walked out, Ruby quickly following him. A few seconds later, they heard the unmistakable sound of Fenrir's engine starting and the bike taking off quickly.

Sephiroth stared at the door, stunned.

“Well... That was an odd turn of events.” Genesis remarked.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay. My mental health isn't doing so well at the moment and I'm just so tired all the time. My updates may be as few as one a week for a while, but I'm am going to finish this story. I refuse to have another epic tale untold. 
> 
> Thank you very much to those who have taken the time to leave a comment. You guys really are helping me keep motivation to update more often and I love hearing what people are thinking with the story. I know everything that's going to happen, so hearing other people's theories reminds me of what is known and what isn't.
> 
> I am also trying to decide which side of this story I'm going to tell next. Do I follow Cloud, or Sephiroth? At the moment, I'm leaning heavily towards Sephiroth.


	13. A New Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud was gone, and Sephiroth was left behind.

Two months. Cloud had been gone for two months. Sixty four days without so much as a text message and Sephiroth was _brooding_. The man had decided to stay in the bar, and while Tifa was happy to have the help, he was starting to worry her.

Outside of open hours, Sephiroth would keep to himself, either hiding up in his room or down at the church. He responded to their calls and messages but was never the first to interact. Even when Reeve had called to inform him that he'd found some of his SOLDIERs, all the man had done was request that Reeve make sure they were taken care of.

“Seph...” Tifa knocked on the man's door, balancing a plate on her free hand. After a moment, the door opened and Sephiroth peered down at her.

“Thank you.” He took the plate and turned around. Tifa barely managed to stop the door from closing. He regarded her with curiosity as she let herself into his room, but didn't protest. Instead, he put the plate down on the bedside table and sat down, looking at her expectantly.

“Seph...” She sighed and shook her head, moving to sit beside him. “He'll be alright.” It was the same platitude she gave him daily, and Sephiroth once again shrugged at her. Still, he didn't say anything. “Right.” Tifa closed her eyes and took a breath before turning to Sephiroth, eyes hard and posture tense. “Look. I know you're hurting, but hiding in here wont help anyone, especially not you.” She hesitated before placing a soft hand on his arm, just below his shoulder as she turned to properly face him.

He had a strange look on his face, almost pained, almost resigned. He sighed softly and placed his hand over hers. “I know.” He said quietly, his voice soft and hurt.

“But you don't want to face the world without him...” She asked, and when Sephiroth shook his head, telling her that she was right, she couldn't help it. She knelt on the bed and pulled him into an embrace. “I know, it's hard when he's not here. But he'll be back. He always comes back. And when he does, Genesis and I will hold him down while you yell at him.” She offered, and was rewarded with a small chuckle from Sephiroth. He surprised her by leaning into her embrace for a moment.

“I can't fault his logic.” He said after a moment, “If he truly is immortal, it makes sense to take care of this himself – to stop others from getting hurt. It's the sort of tactical thinking that I would expect from one of my generals. But...”

“But he still left you behind.” Tifa understood all too well. There were times that Cloud would push her away, using similar logic. He was enhanced, faster, stronger, and more likely to survive than his friends. But he always seemed to forget that his friends weren't exactly helpless. “And you feel conflicted because while he did make the right _tactical decision_ , it still doesn't feel like it was the right one overall.”

Sephiroth nodded slowly. “You are very wise.” He remarked, finally pulling away from the embrace to reach for a sandwich. He offered her one and she accepted, taking it carefully from his hand. “And you seem to be speaking from experience.”

Tifa nodded with a soft sigh. “Cloud will always put those he loves before him.” She told him, “Even if it hurts us, he'll still do it, if he thinks that it's what's best.”

“I think...” Sephiroth looked down, regarding the sandwich in his hand for a moment while he gathered his thoughts. “That I shall hold off on my anger until he returns.” He nodded, decision made.

Tifa smiled at him and copied his nod. “That sounds like a good idea.”

– – – – – – – – – – –

After the third month had passed, Sephiroth found himself at the church more and more. He would sit in front of the flowers for hours at a time, eyes closed and hands clasped together, reaching for a answer that never arrived. He could still hear the cries of the lifestream, but there was no central thought, nothing binding the voices together into something he could understand.

Until the newest stranger had come to take Cloud away, there had always been one thread, stronger and thicker than the others, thousands of voices saying the same thing but now... now they were tangled like a frayed rope, all saying different things and none of them agreeing. It hurt his head, but still he tried.

He needed to make sure that Cloud was still alive, that he was still okay. The man had claimed to be immortal, but Sephiroth couldn't help but worry and doubt. His love had been gone for a quarter of a year already, and he hadn't heard a word from him.

Communicating with the Planet, finding Cloud through the muddled voices had been a vain hope, but it had been the only one available to him. Cloud wasn't answering messages and calls weren't going through to his phone. The man had up and disappeared, abandoned them completely.

After another two hours of futile attempts at communication, Sephiroth let out a sigh and opened his eyes. He was getting nowhere. His instincts were telling him to find the man, to pull the world apart and check every crevice until he found him, but his logical mind held him back.

If Cloud didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be.

It was the first time in his life, Sephiroth wished he could use the J-Cells within him. If he still had that power, if their cells were still activated, then he there would be the possibility of bringing Cloud home.

But then, even if Sephiroth could utilise the Reunion, Cloud would probably never forgive him for the manipulation. That was something Sephiroth knew for sure – Cloud hated being used or manipulated without his consent.

The sky was growing dark and Sephiroth stood, regarding the alter and garden for a moment before leaving, returning to the bar.

– – – – – – – – –

After four months, Sephiroth was pissed. There was still no word from Cloud, and the only two options available to Sephiroth were fear and concern or anger. Anger was easier to deal with.

Tifa and Genesis had noticed, of course, and were becoming very wary of him. It made sense that Tifa would be on edge – in her experience, an angry Sephiroth was not a good thing – so he made an effort to hold himself back and to assure her that he wasn't going to go off the deep end.

In an effort to distract himself, he had taken over Strife Delivery Service, using the delivery runs to keep himself busy. Tifa had been hesitant, obviously wary of leaving him by himself for long stretches of time, so in the end, Genesis had agreed to tag along.

And so, Sephiroth and Genesis headed out in the car, taking their first delivery to Kalm.

“So you and Cloud used to do this?” Genesis asked as soon as they were out of Edge. He turned Sephiroth, watching him drive rather than the bland planes that were passing by.

Sephiroth shrugged and Genesis sighed, “You know, I'm somewhat used to you being quiet, but not _this_ quiet.” His voice quietened a little, barely over a whisper, but Sephiroth had no problems hearing him. “I'm worried about you, my friend.”

Taking his eyes off the road long enough to regard Genesis, Sephiroth shrugged, but still didn't say anything for a while. When it became obvious that Genesis was waiting for an answer, and that he was giving Sephiroth an uncharacteristic amount of patience, Sephiroth sighed.

“'The wandering soul knows no rest'.” He said eventually, earning a smirk from his red headed friend.

“Must be bad,” Genesis remarked, “If _you're_ quoting Loveless.” His eyes were still locked on Sephiroth and the silver general was beginning to get a little uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

“I have to believe that he will return.” He said slowly, keeping his eyes on the road and attempting to ignore the feeling of Genesis' eyes on him. “If I don't I-” He shook his head, unable to finish his sentence. “I have to believe he will return.” He repeated instead.

“And yet, you still wait for him.” Genesis shifted, his eyes finally moving to look away from Sephiroth. “He truly has captured your heart, hasn't he?” The tone told Sephiroth that it was a rhetorical question so he didn't respond.

They sat in silence for a while before Genesis spoke again, quietly enough that Sephiroth almost missed his words. “When he returns, he will have some explaining to do.” He said, voice grave and dark. “And if his answers do not please you, I will find out just _how_ immortal he is.”

“You...” Sephiroth glanced away from the road, chancing a look at his companion. “You wish to avenge my hurt feelings?” He asked, smirking slightly and Sephiroth couldn't help but laugh at the affronted look on his friends face.

“I may not have been the best example of one, but I _am_ your friend.” Genesis scoffed.

Sephiroth nodded, concentrating on the road a head of him and thinking. Genesis was right, he _hadn't_ been the best example of a friend, not until recently. Back in their time, their friendship had been hidden so far behind rivalry that Sephiroth hadn't even been able to see it, but since reuniting in this world and this timeline, Genesis had actually been a friend. Sephiroth wondered how much his degradation and inferiority complex had impacted his personality. Or perhaps it was simply because Sephiroth was no longer a hero. Now they were equals.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence for the rest of their journey to Kalm.

– – – – – – – – – –

They set off for their second destination with the sunrise. The journey to the Chocobo Farm took a lot longer, but was filled with companionable chatter and comfortable silences. It was quite reminiscent of some of their joint missions so many years ago, and Sephiroth felt himself relax more than he had in a long time.

His relaxed state didn't last long. As they came closer to the Chocobo Farm, Sephiroth noticed a familiar shape leaning beside the barn. Without a thought, he pressed down on the gas pedal, pushing the small car to travel at its top speed. The setting sun made it difficult to be sure if it was what he thought it was, and he had to get closer, to find out.

“What is it?” Genesis asked, instantly on guard. He dropped his book on the floor as his eyes scanned their area, ready for action.

Sephiroth didn't answer, concentrating instead on pulling the car to a sudden stop a few meters in front of the barn. His initial fears had been right. There was no mistaking the shape that was leaning against the wall of the barn.

“Fenrir.” Sephiroth finally answered Genesis, running forward to check over. It seemed fine, no damage. He flicked the switch to open the compartments and found that First Tsurugi was nowhere to be seen. Without looking back, Sephiroth closed the side compartments and strode into the barn.

A young man was inside, tending to the chocobos. He looked up when Sephiroth came inside and stepped forward, ready to do his job. “Hi there! I'm Willy.” He greeted, “You here to rent a chocobo?”

“I'm looking for someone.” Sephiroth answered quickly, “His vehicle is outside.”

“Oh, you mean Cloud? Yeah, he came out here a few days ago, took out Boko. Said somethin' about havin' to go somewhere he bike couldn't reach.” The chocobo in the stall beside the man made a loud 'Wark' and he began to idly scratching under it's neck.

“Where can a chocobo go that his bike can't?” Genesis asked, regarding the large birds with caution.

“Boko's a gold. He can go anywhere.” Willy said with a shrug, still trying to calm the chocobo down. The bird was becoming more and more agitated as time went by. “Whoa, Biscuits, what's wrong buddy?” He questioned the bird. The creature seemed to be trying to get out of its stable.

“A golden chocobo?” Sephiroth asked, eyeing the struggling bird. He stepped forward and reached out. The moment his hand came close, Biscuits leaned forward and nuzzled into his palm, calming down instantly.

“Yeah. Cloud bread it years ago, before my time.” Willy was watching Sephiroth with a frown. “You related to his boy?” He asked Sephiroth as the chocobo nuzzled the warrior. “Bird's acting as though you're his owner.”

“This chocobo belonged to Zack?” Sephiroth questioned, stepping closer to the bird.

“Yeah. Kid hasn't been back in a year or so. Think the bird misses him. Seems to like you though. You related?” Willy stepped back, allowing Sephiroth and the bird to interact more freely as he watched.

“After a fashion.” Sephiroth answered, “We're genetically similar. Perhaps that's what the bird can sense...” He didn't know anything about chocobos, that was always Cloud's area of expertise. The fact that the man had apparently bread a chocobo thought to be only legendary explained his knowledge somewhat. “Do you know where Cloud went?” He asked, still petting the yellow bird.

“Nah. He didn't say.”

“We're here to pick up a package.” Genesis said, watching Sephiroth with the bird and Sephiroth was glad that Genesis was taking control of the situation. Seeing Cloud's bike all but abandoned had sent a shock of anxiety through Sephiroth. It wasn't like the blond to leave it behind where it could be damaged by the elements. Even when he parked it behind 7th Heaven he'd made sure to cover it with a tarp. To see it outside, simply propped up against a wall didn't bode well for the man. Wherever he'd gone, he'd gone in a hurry.

“Right,” Willy said with a nod, “Hang on.” He left the barn, returning a few minutes later. He looked between them once or twice before speaking again. “So which one of you's the Silver General?”

Frowning, Sephiroth finally separated himself from the now excited bird to look at the stable hand. “That would be me...” Why would he ask that? Who would even know to call him that?

“Right. He said you're the one to take it back. Nobody else.” Willy handed Sephiroth a set of keys. A very familiar set of keys. The package they had been sent to pick up from the Chocobo Farm was Fenrir.

With a shaking hand, Sephiroth took the keys and looked down at them. They sat innocently, silver shining against the black of his gloves, telling him so much more than anything ever should.

Cloud didn't expect to be back any time soon. He'd taken a golden chocobo and left his beloved bike behind in Sephiroth's care. His fist closed around the cold metal and he stalked away, saying nothing to nobody.

Genesis followed him out to the bike. Sephiroth was lifting it from its lean and reaching for the ignition when Genesis stopped him with a hand on his arm. “What's going on?” He asked, carefully.

Pulling his arm from his friend's grip, Sephiroth shook his head, unnamed emotions building up in front of him. He couldn't let them out here, he couldn't show them where strangers could see. It would be better to wait until they were back in Edge, in 7th Heaven. But then... Sephiroth wasn't sure what he would do when he let the emotion out, he didn't want to put Tifa or her bar in danger. Instead, he took a breath. “I'll... Meet you back at Edge.” He told Genesis. “In... a while. I need...” He took another breath and swung himself onto the motorcycle. He started it up and took off without another word.

– – – – – – – – – – –

He hadn't decided where he was going to go, just that he needed to spend some time alone, as far away from civilisation as he could. He found himself on a cliff overlooking the ocean somewhere south east of Edge. He knew that he was several hours away from home, but that didn't matter too much to him. He was alone. There wasn't another soul for miles around, and he could finally let his emotions out.

He'd been holding on to them for so long, keeping them locked away in a small corner of his psyche, that he had no idea how to let them go.

Parking the bike, he slipped off it and sat on the edge of the cliff. Looking out over the ocean, he took a breath, then another, forcing himself to relax. Before he could let his emotions out, he had to identify them, acknowledge them.

He was hurt. He knew that much. His heart and soul both ached for Cloud, feeling the loss of his presence keenly, but that wasn't the only hurt. He felt betrayed, abandoned. Cloud had left him without a second thought, following a stranger into battle and certain danger.

Not that he could fault Cloud's logic. If the man really was immortal, it made sense that he was the only one at risk, but it didn't mean that Sephiroth _agreed_ with him. Cloud had promised to never disappear again, but had done so rather readily. The idea that he had done it to protect him didn't help the betrayal that Sephiroth felt.

So that was two emotions that Sephiroth could identify. Hurt and betrayed. Possibly even abandoned. There was no denying how much he missed the man, how much he longed to have him back in his arms, so he could add lonely and bereft to that list too.

He thought about how he would feel if Cloud were to show back up right now. Relieved would be the first one. Despite Cloud's assurances that he couldn't die, Sephiroth was sceptical. He had no idea where this information had come from – it could have been a dream for all Sephiroth knew – and the longer the older warrior was missing, the more anxious and worried Sephiroth became.

But anger would be the next emotion that Sephiroth knew that he would feel. Anger for being left behind, anger for Cloud not trusting him with more answers, or to accompany him.

The wind picked up, and Sephiroth became aware of two cold lines down his face. Reaching up a gloved hand, he pressed it against his cheek. He was crying. Tears were running down his face and that was something that he was completely unused to. He could count on one hand the number of times that he had cried, and they had mostly been tears for Cloud.

With a shuddering breath, Sephiroth tried to calm himself down, his eyes closing as he reminded himself that Cloud would come home, that he wouldn't leave for good. But as the time went by, it was harder and harder to convince himself of that.

When the tears finally stopped, he found himself reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small, velvet box and opened it, looking down at the small ring inside. It had taken him months of research to understand the cultural intricacies surrounding his intended actions, and he had finally figured it out and commissioned the small piece of jewellery he now held.

The ring was black, a small green stone neatly pressed into the obsidian band. It was modest in design but Sephiroth knew that it would suit Cloud's aesthetics. Black was certainly Cloud's favourite colour to wear and the small stone... well that held significance too.

Now he wasn't so sure he was ready to give it to the man. How could he? If Cloud was ready to leave him, to disappear at the drop of a hat, how could he ask the man the question he had intended to?

A surge of emotion had him raise his hand, poised to throw the box into the ocean below, but something stopped him. All of the reasons that he had commissioned the ring in the first place still held up, were still valid. Even if he did feel betrayed and unwanted right now. He could understand Cloud's reasoning. He knew the warrior well enough to know what he had been thinking. And worse still, he _understood_. He wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't have made the same choice.

With another sigh, Sephiroth closed the box with a snap, replacing it in his most secure pocket. He stood and returned to the bike. He still wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling, and he knew that he would have to analyse them again in the not to distant future, but for now, he was feeling better.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

Cloud had been gone for five months when Marlene joined him in the church. She sat beside him and began to tend to the flowers, not saying a word while his eyes were closed and hands clasped in prayer. It wasn't until he opened his eyes and dropped his hands that she turned to him.

“Hey,” She greeted him, smiling up at him. He returned the smile, but didn't say anything, instead, allowing the quiet peace to fall over them.

After another ten minutes or so, Marlene stopped working on the plants and turned to face him. She reached into her pocket and pulled something out, suddenly looking a little nervous.

“You've been here nearly a year now.” She told him, fiddling with something behind her back, “And I'm sorry it took so long, but... I have something for you.” She pulled her arms from behind her back and reached forward, an offering in her hand.

Sephiroth looked down at it. A familiar red ribbon sat on her upturned hand. It was the same ribbon that every member of AVALANCHE wore – usually tied to their upper arm – and Sephiroth was sure that it held some significance. He gave Marlene a curious look and she correctly assumed that he wanted an explanation.

“After Aerith died, we all started wearing one. Kind of as a way to remember her. But since then, it's sort of become more. It's... I don't know... a mark of AVALANCHE or something... It connects us, binds us together...”

Sephiroth stared at the accessory for a moment before lifting his right arm, offering it to Marlene. She tied the ribbon to his wrist and he felt a surge of power from it. Frowning, he held his arm up, looking at it with curiosity.

“It's not just a piece of cloth.” Marlene told him, “It's an accessory. It stops all status magic from taking affect. That's why it took me so long to find one for you. They're not exactly common.”

“Thank you...” As socially inept as he was, the significance of this gift was not lost on him. While he had been welcomed into their small family a long time ago, this was a gift that told the world he truly did belong with AVALANCHE, that he was _one_ of them.

– – – – – – – – –

Six months and two days after Cloud disappeared AVALANCHE were once again gathered in the bar, a sombre mood permeating the air. Sephiroth took his seat among them, content to sit quietly in a show of mutual support.

Today was January 21st.

While the city outside was celebrating the survival of the world, the people within the closed bar were mourning the loss of one of their own. This was the first year that the family had gathered on this day without their youngest member, and each one of them were feeling it deeply. None of them spoke for a long time, nobody having the words.

Until Sephiroth spoke. His voice quiet, “When Cloud was dead,” He began, all eyes falling on him, “I adopted Zeke so that he would never be alone. When I signed the papers, he told me that I was now 'legally allowed to make dad jokes'. I didn't understand what he meant, so he spent the next two weeks teaching me and giving me examples. The first time I used one, he nearly choked on his laughter.” A small smile found its way to his lips at the memory.

“When he was three, he used to throw things.” Yuffie spoke this time, “So when Cloud wasn't looking, I gave him rubber knives and shuriken. He was scary accurate.”

“I let him pilot Shera when he was six.” Cid added, “Nearly crashed us into a mountain, but he was so happy that he got to fly...”

Marlene was the next to speak, “When he was little, he told me that when he grew up, he wanted to be a chocobo racer.”

The next few hours were bitter sweet as they reminisced about their lost member. Memories of him made them smile, made them remember the good times, but also made them more aware of the pain that they all felt, the small hole in their lives that would never be filled.

Zeke was gone and he would never come back, but he lived on in their memories. As long as they remembered him, he would never truly be gone.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to follow Sephiroth for a few reasons. The main one being that I'm a lot better at writing emotion than I am action. There are other reasons too, but those wont get stated for a long time yet. 
> 
> Thank you for your patience, and I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter.


	14. A New SOLDIER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yet another familiar face finds itself in Cloud's world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I'm apparently on a role, you guys get another chapter today!

Nine months after Cloud disappeared, Sephiroth found himself once again sitting at the edge of the garden in the church. The breeze coming through the ruined building ruffled his bangs, causing them to tickle his face and the scent of the blossoming flowers made his nose itch. Sunlight shone down on him, heating his skin through the black shirt he wore, and for the first time in a long time, Sephiroth felt at peace.

Cloud's absence still hurt, his chest still ached for the man and his bed still felt all too empty, but it was no longer all consuming. Sure, when Cloud came back, he would have a lot of reparations to make, and a lot of explaining to do, but Sephiroth was finally content just to wait for him.

He was deep in thought, finally able to think of things other than Cloud, when a strange feeling came over him. It was almost as though time stopped. The wind disappeared and the air sat still for a few moments before the ground started shaking and there was a loud splash.

He opened his eyes, not startled by the earth shaking (he was quite used to that by now, it was happening with more regularity), but rather sudden sound, and he looked into the pool of water.

Standing there, looking a little confused was one man that Sephiroth had never thought he would see again. Dark hair stuck to his wet face as the man blinked and looked around, standing waist deep in the healing water.

“Hey.” Zack Fair greeted Sephiroth, a grin on his face and his hand scratching the back of his neck.

“Zack?” Sephiroth found himself staring at his friend, hardily able to comprehend that he was there. If it wasn't for the increasing number of people from his world suddenly appearing in this one, Sephiroth might have thought himself going insane. As it was, it took him a moment to realise that that was probably what had happened, and a slow, fond smile found its way on to his face.

“So... This is Cloud's timeline, right?” Zack asked, wading forward and pulling himself out of the water. He shivered slightly as the breeze picked up again.

Sephiroth gave a single nod, finding his way to his feet and stepping forward to pull Zack into a strong embrace. The younger man seemed surprised at the action, but returned the hug just as enthusiastically.

“Aerith?” Sephiroth asked when he finally pulled back.

Zack shook his head, “She said she'd be the last to come through.”

“Do you know what's happening?” Over the last year, Sephiroth had been trying to find answers as to why people were suddenly jumping to this world, but thus far he had found none. The Planet still wasn't speaking coherently and the research that the scientists at the WRO hadn't found any answers either.

But Zack had a connection to Aerith, who was very much connected to the Planet. Maybe he would have some answers.

“I know the what, but not the why.” Zack told Sephiroth as they walked away from the garden towards the exit of the church. “For some reason, everything organic from our world is coming here. Not just the people, but the plants and the animals. Even the lifestream is coming here. It's almost as if the Planet decided to evacuate our world.”

“I wasn't even aware that that was a possibility.” Sephiroth mused aloud as they reached the doors.

As they walked through, Zack stopped and looked around, staring at the ruins around them. He gave a low whistle and shook his head. “A meteor really did land on it, huh?” He asked, looking up at the visible sky.

Sephiroth nodded, giving Zack a moment to take in the destruction. It wasn't an easy thing, he knew from experience, and it might take Zack a while to get used to the idea that his home was no longer there.

When Zack's eyes came back down from the heavens, Sephiroth gestured to Fenrir, climbing aboard.

“Nice wheels!” Zack commented as he approached, giving the bike a once over.

Sephiroth shrugged, “It's Cloud's.” He admitted, waiting for Zack to join him on the vehicle before starting the engine.

They were silent for the ride back to Edge, the noise of the bike too loud to bother shouting over. Sephiroth would have no problems hearing Zack, but now that the younger man was no longer enhanced, there was no way that he would be able to hear Sephiroth. But the moment he pulled the bike over and cut the engine, Zack spoke again.

“Hey Sephiroth... Do you remember?” He asked, voice quiet and a little unsure.

“Remember what?” Was there something specific that the man was referring to? Something that Sephiroth was supposed to know?

“The other you? Do you remember the stuff he did?” They climbed off the bike and turned to face each other. Zack was looking a little uncomfortable, unsure, and Sephiroth was wondering what he was talking about.

He shook his head, curiosity building, “No. Do you? Remember the Zack from this world?” He asked and Zack nodded.

“Yeah.” He looked away for a moment. To anyone else, it would seem like he was simply looking around, taking in his new surroundings and familiarising himself with the city he suddenly found himself in. But Sephiroth knew him better than that. Zack wasn't looking at anything in particular, instead, he was avoiding looking at Sephiroth. “I'm sorry.” Zack said quietly and if Sephiroth didn't have enhanced hearing, he would have missed it.

“For what?” Now Sephiroth was confused, he had no idea what Zack was talking about, and why he was apologising to Sephiroth. Wasn't it a good thing that Sephiroth couldn't remember the atrocities committed by the man who shared his face? That he couldn't remember the depths of insanity and hatred that had driven the man to seek the destruction of the entire world?

“Cloud left out a lot of stuff.” Zack was saying, “In this world... I had a hand in your death – the first one. And...” He shook his head, finally turning to look at Sephiroth, “And if it came down to it, if things went like that again, I'd probably do it again.”

Sephiroth nodded, finally understanding why Zack was apologetic. He wasn't apologising for what he had done to the other Sephiroth, but for the fact that he knew he would do it again. That if Sephiroth were to go insane, were to pose a threat to the world, he would do what he had to to stop him.

A very large part of Sephiroth was glad that this man would stand up to him to protect the world, but another part of him realised that this time, Zack wouldn’t stand a chance. “You're no longer enhanced.” He pointed out, “If it comes down to it, don't try to fight me alone.”

His answer seemed to surprise Zack. The ex-general blinked at him a few times, taking his words in. After a moment, he nodded, and forced a smile back on to his face. “We'll just have to make sure it doesn’t come down to that.”

“I wonder why you remember.” Sephiroth questioned instead of continuing that line of conversation. He had no intention of falling into the grips of inanity, but with Jenova still having a presence in this world, it wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility. He didn't like to think about it.

“I dunno.” Zack shrugged, “I think Aerith had something to do with it. Before I left, she told me I'd come here and that I might remember the Zack from this world. I guess... She loved him as much as me. I mean, makes sense if she can have both, right?”

Sephiroth was walking again, leading them inside the bar. As soon as the door opened, he heard Tifa call out from the back room.

“We're closed!”

“It's me!” He called back, walking behind the bar to pour himself a coffee. He reached for the other pot, the one for the unenhanced and poured one for Zack before handing it over.

“Thanks.” Zack took the drink and looked around, “So you really live in a bar?” he asked, and Sephiroth nodded, gesturing the the ceiling.

“Someone there?” Tifa asked, her voice moving closer to the doorway.

“It seems it's my turn to bring home strays.” Sephiroth called back to her, mouth curling into a smirk at her vaguely irritated sigh. He knew that she wasn't actually angry. Tifa was perhaps the most welcoming woman he had ever met.

“We have no more room!” She scolded as she stepped into the bar, her eyes narrowing on Sephiroth and her hands on her hip, a towel held in one hand. He shrugged at her and took another sip of his drink.

“Hello.” Zack greeted and Tifa turned to him. An odd look crossed her face, almost as if she was trying to figure out where she'd seen him before and Zack offered his hand to her, “I'm-”

“Oh my gods.” Tifa's hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened as she realised who she was looking at, “You're Zack Fair!”

“Uh-” It was Zack's turn to look surprised and confused and the hand that he'd held out in greeting went to the back of his neck in a show of minor embarrassment. “Yeah.”

Behind the bar, Sephiroth was doing his best to hide his amusement by polishing random glasses, an odd habit he seemed to have picked up in the last year. He watched the two of them stare at each other for a moment before clearing his throat. “I believe we should contact Reeve.” He suggested. Wasn't that the established protocol? Call Reeve and let him handle the debriefing?

Tifa nodded once, still seemingly unable to take her eyes off Zack. Behind them, a shrill whistle pierced the air, telling Sephiroth that Tifa had been boiling water. She didn't seem to notice, too entranced by Zack and Sephiroth was about to head to the kitchen to take the pot off the stove when there was a grumble from the stairs.

“Damn you woman!” Genesis muttered as he stepped down the last step, “I was _trying_ to nap.” He ignored the people in the bar and stormed off to the kitchen. A moment later, the scratching stopped and the bar suddenly felt _too_ quiet.

“Uh... Was that Genesis Rhapsodos?” Zack asked, peering around Tifa to the now empty doorway. He stood from his stool, tense and ready, hand partially raised towards the sword he wore on his back. The man was ready for a fight.

“Yes. He's harmless.” Sephiroth gestured for Zack to stand down, and after a moments hesitation, he complied with the silent order, still tense but no longer ready to pounce.

“Pfft. Harmless.” Genesis appeared at the door, rolling his eyes, “I'm still a decent swordsman, I'll have you know.” He was carrying a tray with tea supplies and he placed them down on the counter. “Hello Puppy.” He greeted, busying himself with pouring tea. He handed a cup to Tifa and sat against the bar with one of his own. “Close your mouth, you'll attract flies.” Genesis rolled his eyes at Tifa but Sephiroth could see the irritation in his posture, the way his muscles were tense despite the casual pose.

Genesis had never reacted well to seeing somebody else be more popular than himself, and to see Tifa's reaction to Zack probably didn't sit well with him, but to the man's credit, he was acting as though it didn't bother him in the slightest. Maybe he really had grown as a person. Or maybe he was just waiting until they were alone to start ranting. Time would tell.

Tifa did close her mouth and offered a small, apologetic smile to Zack. “Sorry.” She said, “I just never thought that I would meet you.” This time it was her who offered her hand, and Zack took it with a grin, shaking it firmly twice.

“Wait... I think you have. Tifa, right?” He questioned, letting her hand go. She nodded at him, and he grinned, “You guided us up the mountain.” His expression turned sad for a moment and he looked away, “I'm sorry for what happened.”

“You remember?” She questioned him, tilting her head to one side as she regarded him.

Zack gave a slow nod, “Yeah. I think... Aerith gave me his memories...” He paused for a moment, looking into the cup in his hand, “I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help.”

Tifa shook her head, “I know.” She told him, “But you more than made up for it. If it wasn't for you, Cloud would have...” She cleared her throat and forced a smile on her face. “You were a hero. To him, and to all of us.”

Her words caused a dark blush to spread over Zack's face, and his hand to once again bury itself in the back of his hair. He didn't seem to know what to say, and for the first time Sephiroth found himself rescuing a friend from an embarrassing social situation.

“Tifa,” He caught her attention, “Call Reeve.” He told her in a calm voice. She nodded and all but fled to the landline in the back room.

Genesis watched her go before turning back to the other two in the room. “You realise,” He said to Sephiroth, a hint of amusement in his voice, posture still subtly tense. “That Barret isn't going to be happy with you. Yet another SOLDIER to join the fray.”

– – – – – – – – –

It didn't take long for Zack to reintegrate himself into Sephiroth's life. In fact, it was almost as though they hadn't been separated for almost a year, and they soon fell back into old habits and routine.

Which is why, on the first Wednesday of the month, Sephiroth found himself in search of a DVD player. The bar had a television, but no ability to play disks and it seemed that none of the channels tended to play movies at a convenient time.

“I would like to apologise.” Sephiroth said to Zack as they walked out of yet another store empty handed.

“Nah. It's fine if we can't find something. We'll think of something else to do, another tradition!”

Somehow, when Zack threw his arms around Sephiroth's shoulders, the taller man didn't flinch away. Instead, he seemed to instinctively slouch slightly so that Zack didn't have to reach up quite so far. It felt good to have his friend back.

“No. I mean for missing your wedding.” Sephiroth told him, glancing across at him. “You were due to be wed two months after we arrived here.” It was one of those small things that Sephiroth regretted about coming to this world. Missing out on the lives of some of those he held most dear. Not only did he miss Zack and Aerith's wedding, but also some of the growth of their child. She would be around three now, if Sephiroth's math was correct, and that was time that he would never get to see.

Zack shook his head, “Nah. We put it off. When you guys went missing, we sent people out to look for you. I would've gone myself but...” He shook his head, still smiling, “But Aerith put her foot down. She and Lilly needed me to be there. Anyway, after about a month, Aerith figured out what was happening – with everyone migrating to this world – and we realised that we'd see you guys again. So we figured we could hold off and get married when we could have our family all together.”

Sephiroth paused after Zack's explanation and nodded in agreement, a smile playing at his lips. “Then I am glad that I will be able to attend.”

In the end, they managed to find a working DVD player, and it was even compatible with the television that Tifa already had. It was much smaller than the one they were used to watching, but it was enough. Together, with Tifa and Genesis, they returned to their monthly tradition and watched a terrible movie, followed by an hour of chocobo racing.

And for the first time in nine months, Sephiroth went to bed with a smile.

– – – – – – – – – – –

“Holy shit!”

“Denzel, language!” Tifa scolded the young man who stood in front of Zack. His brown eyes were wide in awe as he stared at the SOLDIER in front of him.

“You're Zack Fair. Right?” The boy asked, eyes still wide and he didn't seem to be blinking.

“Yep. That's me!” Zack grinned at the kid and reached out, ruffling the young man's hair playfully. “What's your name?” He seemed to take the staring in his stride, perhaps he was used to it. It wasn't as if Zack wasn't well known in their own timeline – he was a general of New Shinra after all – so he probably had encountered fans before.

“Denzel.” Answering the question seemed to make Denzel come back to his senses and he offered a hand to shake. Zack took it eagerly and enthusiastically shook it twice.

“One of Cloud's kids, right?” He questioned and Denzel shrugged.

“Sort of.” He answered, finally moving to sit on one of the stools by the bar. Zack followed him and took the seat opposite.

Sephiroth was behind the bar, helping Tifa set up for the day and he watched with amusement and wondered just how many of his new friends would give Zack the same look of awe and wonder when they first met him. He really was their hero, after all. A hero among heroes. No wonder Genesis was jealous.

“Wow. This is... I mean...” Denzel shook his head, still looking up at Zack with wide eyes, “We're doing a lesson about you at school and then I come here and here you are!”

“You're still in school?” Zack asked, frowning, “Sorry, you just look a little too old for school. Then again, Zeke looked older than he was so maybe I'm just not good at judging ages...”

Denzel laughed, “I teach.” He told him, accepting a beer that Sephiroth offered him as he joined them at the table.

“And you're doing stuff about me?” Zack seemed flummoxed by the idea, as if he truly didn't understand why somebody would be interested in teaching about him specifically.

“Sure.” Denzel said with a grin, “The topic is 'silent heroes'.”

Sephiroth couldn't help the snort of amusement that came from him at that. “Zack. Silent.” He muttered with a shake of his head, regarding his overly energetic friend. The idea of anybody calling him silent was highly amusing. They obviously didn't know him very well.

Denzel shrugged and continued, “It's about people who paved the way for heroes to do their thing. If you hadn't saved Cloud, then he wouldn't have been able to go on to stop Sephiroth.” The boy was becoming animated, speaking faster in a way that showed his enthusiasm for the subject. Twice, Sephiroth had to rescue his beer when the youth knocked it over. “Which means that you indirectly saved the world. Twice.” He held up two fingers as if to illustrate his point. “Because if Cloud had died, then there wouldn't have been anybody that could stand up to Sephiroth and stop him from destroying the world.”

“But... I didn't know that would happen.” Zack pointed out, “I just saw my friend needed help...”

Sephiroth regarded Zack for a moment. For all his bluster and insistence that he wanted to be a hero, he didn't seem comfortable with the title now that he had it.

“That's the point.” Denzel told him, “You didn't know that you would have a hand in saving the world, but you did it anyway – even though it caused your death.”

“I mean... It wasn't actually _me_.” Zack pointed out, “I just remember what the other me did...”

“Yet you would do it again.” Sephiroth spoke up, watching his friend. In the last five years, he had got to know Zack very well and was confident in his statement and the embarrassed flush on Zack's face told him that he was right.

“Maybe...” Zack admitted, “But maybe not. I mean... It's not just my life anymore. I have a kid now...”

In his pocket, Sephiroth's PHS vibrated and he ignored the conversation at the table to check it. The message was from Reeve, requesting he and Zack's attend a meeting at the WRO. With a raised eyebrow, he sent a reply confirming that they would be there.

“Our presence has been requested at the WRO.” He said to Zack, putting the phone back into his pocket.

“Sure.” Zack flashed Sephiroth another grin and stood. “It was nice meeting you, Denzel.” He said as they headed towards the door, Sephiroth pausing only to collect his keys.

– – – – – – – – –

By the time they had returned to the bar, it was crowded, but not with the usual evening regulars. Instead, AVALANCHE was once again gathered, merrily drinking and catching up. It had been a few months since they had all been together, but from what Sephiroth could gather, it used to be rare that they would all come together. Since returning with Cloud, it had happened with regularity.

“Yo Seph!” Barret greeted him as he walked through the door, “Tifa says you're bringin' strays home now!”

Was the man always so loud? Sephiroth's ears always seemed to be twitching when Barret was around, his enhanced senses making his bellowing seem all the more voluminous.

Behind him, the door opened again as Zack strode in, acting for all the world that he belonged there.

As soon as he did so, everyone fell silent, staring at him. Once again, Zack's cheeks reddened a little and his hand started scratching at the back of his head. “Hi.” He greeted them with a small wave.

“You!” Yuffie was once again sitting _on_ the bar and staring at him with wide eyes, a finger pointing accusingly at the newly arrived SOLDIER. “I know you! You're the SOLDIER that kept stealing my treasure!”

“Huh?” Zack seemed momentarily confused as he looked at the young empress before realisation dawned on him. He pointed at her in the same way that she was pointing at him, all but mirroring her expression. “I wasn't trying to steal anything! I was just bailing you out of trouble!”

“You were stealing my treasure!” She countered, using the same argument.

Sephiroth watched in wonder as Zack shook his head, “You invited me!”

“You were colluding with the princess of Wutai?” Genesis asked, a frown on his face.

“You're a princess!?” Again, Zack seemed shocked, and possibly a little confused.

“Well duh.” Yuffie rolled her eyes, finally dropping her hand, “It was _in_ the email.”

“Right. Because no other ten year old girl has _ever_ called herself a princess.” Zack crossed his arms over his chest, still looking at the young woman on the bar.

“I was _eleven_.” She countered with a huff. “And I was never in trouble. I'm the great ninja Yuffie, after all.”

Sephiroth chuckled and shook his head again, moving behind the bar to pour himself a drink while he watched his friends interact. “Somehow, I think you were in a _little_ trouble.” He told Yuffie, who huffed again.

“Only when I was caught sneaking out of the palace.” She muttered in agreement, leaning back to reach for a bottle behind her. Sephiroth moved it out of the way before giving her a gentle shove off the bar.

“Chair.” He ordered, retrieving a glass and pouring her a drink. When she complied and took a seat at a table, he gave her the glass.

“So.” Cid seemed to be looking Zack over, eyes trailing from his head to his feet and back up again. “You're Zack Fair.” It wasn't a question. While there weren't many photographs of Zack available, AVALANCHE had made a point to know what Cloud's hero had looked like.

“That's me!” Zack bounced further into the bar, plopping himself on a chair. Sephiroth reached into the refrigerator under the bar and took out a beer. He looked at the label as he opened it and realised that it was Zack's favourite. The younger man took it with a grin, “Awww Sephy, always providing for me.” He quipped, dodging the swat to the back of the head that the nickname earned him. He chuckled and turned to the others in the room. “So you guys are Cloud's family, yeah?”

“From what he says, so're you.” Cid said, making a gesture at Sephiroth to indicate that he wanted a drink too. Rolling his eyes, Sephiroth dutifully moved back behind the bar.

“Anybody else?” He questioned, half rhetorically. Half a dozen hands flew into the air and he sighed, gathering drinks. By now, he knew what each one of them preferred and it didn't take long for him to serve them. It wasn't like he didn't have experience running the bar.

“You guys are here because of the announcement Reeve's going to make, right? The one he's gonna put on TV?” Zack asked, seemingly excited about the idea. Sephiroth wasn't sure why. It wasn't like Zack had never been on television before. He was his second in command for a long while, and television _was_ the easiest way to give wide spread announcements.

“We're here to meet you.” Vincent finally spoke up, pushing away from his perch against the wall. He took a drink from Sephiroth's tray as he moved forward into the bar, joining the others. He was regarding Zack with a calculating look.

“Heh... I guess so.” Zack shrugged, “So I guess we should share names so we can all be friends! I'll go first!”

Sephiroth watched as each member of their expanding group introduced themselves to Zack. The young man seemed to be striving to earn the title of 'Puppy' as he bounced from one person to the next, making sure to shake their hands. When he got to Nanaki, he hesitated, obviously not sure how to offer the same courtesy to the feline, and seemed relieved when the beast placed his paw in his hand.

– – – – – – – –

The next day, Reeve made an announcement to the world, telling the general public about the alternate world. He explained that Cloud had gone through to the alternate timeline and changed things, and that now people from that world were finding themselves in this one.

He informed the public to call the newly established department Off Worlder Relocation and Rehabilitation if they came across someone they believed to be from the alternate reality so that the OWRR could help the new citizen integrate in their society.

Sephiroth was asked to step up and speak. To explain who he was, that he was from the alternate reality and to tell them what had happened in his timeline. He described how Shinra had been eliminated and replaced with New Shinra and urged people to not be afraid of any people who appeared in Shinra uniform, as they were likely from his world.

The televised briefing lasted several hours, but finally the word was out there. He knew that it would probably take the general public some time to understand that he _wasn't_ the Sephiroth who had endangered their world, but at least now he didn't have to hide who he was.

– – – – – – – – –

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can probably thank Megpie71 for my speed in producing this chapter. Their comments definitely gave me enthusiasm to continue and blew new wind in my sails (so to speak). 
> 
> Also, my partner gave me two stuffed chocobos and a Final Fantasy VII shirt for my birthday which gave me another push. 
> 
> I think Cloud will be coming back soon. If not in the next chapter, thent he one after that. I already know how that's going to go, so get ready for some emotional drama!


	15. A Return Indeed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud comes home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter than others, but by the end, I'm sure you'll understand why I finished it where I did.

“I don't get it.” Zack muttered as he stacked a chair onto the table.

AVALANCHE had left to go their separate ways a few hours earlier, and Zack was helping Sephiroth and Tifa clean up the mess they left in the bar.

“You stack them so that it's easier to mop the floor.” Sephiroth answered the question he thought he'd been asked.

“No. I get that.” Zack told him, pausing in his work to turn to face Sephiroth. He leaned on the table beside him and clarified his original statement. “I mean, I don't get why you have an apartment but don't live in it. Why move me in there, and you stay here? It's got two rooms...”

Sephiroth found himself floundering slightly, his movements hesitant before he spoke. This was Zack. Zack wouldn't judge him for what he was feeling, wouldn't tell him that he was wrong to think the things he was. He would be there for him, he would understand, and he would probably be able to offer some advice, if not help.

“It's Cloud's.” He told his friend, reminding himself that he could trust him. Zack wasn't like the others. “I-” He shook his head. Now that he'd resolved to speak to Zack, he had no idea where to start. How did he tell him how betrayed he felt? How just seeing the apartment that he was supposed to have moved into with Cloud brought up all the hurt and abandonment he'd felt in those first months? Had anybody even told Zack where Cloud was? Somebody must have, or Sephiroth would have been bombarded with questions.

Questions that he had fully expected to hear now that he'd brought Cloud up. But to his surprise, Zack didn't ask them. Instead, his face took on a serious expression. A clenched jaw and narrowed eyes told Sephiroth that Zack was upset about something, but he wasn't entirely sure what. Surely it wasn't because Sephiroth hadn't moved in to the apartment?

“I get it.” His friend said after a moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh. “He's got a lot to make up for when he comes back.” He said, returning to his job of stacking chairs. His voice was off, and it took Sephiroth a moment to realise that Zack _was_ angry. He _was_ upset. But it wasn't because of Sephiroth. It was _for_ him.

Zack was angry at Cloud for leaving the way he did. Angry on Sephiroth's behalf. The idea that somebody would feel that way for him shocked Sephiroth. It wasn't something he'd ever expected in his life and he had to take a moment to contemplate that.

“I should have followed him.” Those were words that Sephiroth had been holding on to. It was a flight of fantasy. How would he have been able to keep up with Cloud? His only other means of transportation had been the car, and that was not nearly fast or agile enough to keep up with Cloud on Fenrir. It would have taken only minutes for Cloud to have lost him on the streets of Edge. The blond had made it quite clear that he didn't want to be followed and Sephiroth hadn't really stood a chance of doing so.

But he still felt like he'd done the wrong thing by simply staying put and hoping for the best. He felt like he'd somehow let Cloud down by _not_ making an effort to be there with him.

“You know, I tried following him once.” Zack said, giving Sephiroth a small, sad smile, almost as if he knew where Sephiroth's thoughts were headed. “When he went down to the slums.” The raven haired man continued, “It took him all of three minutes to disappear. And that was on foot.” He shook his head, stacking the final chair on a table. He moved to sit on a stool in front of the bar. “If you'd gone after him, you wouldn't have got very far.”

Sephiroth gave a nod, not able to look his friend in the eye. Zack was right of course, but it didn't help the way he felt. Somehow, finding something to be angry at himself for was easier than being angry with Cloud.

“Hey Seph,” Zack's hand was suddenly on one of Sephiroth's and he looked at it with curiosity before allowing himself to look Zack in the face. The man was smiling kindly at him, head tilted slightly to one side. “You know that you're not alone, right?” He asked, “There's like, a dozen people who'll drop everything to help you if you ask them to.”

And again, Zack was right. Sephiroth thought about the other members of AVALANCHE. He didn't really know them all too well, but he knew that Zack was right. They would band around him if he needed it, be there for him if he asked for it. They were fiercely loyal to their allies, and he suddenly felt lucky that he was counted among them.

He gave a stilted nod, letting Zack know that he knew and that he agreed without having to say the words.

– – – – – – – – –

Cloud was gone for twelve months, two weeks and three days. Three hundred and eighty two days. It was enough time that the anger and hurt that Sephiroth had felt dulled and faded to the background. It was no longer his first thought on waking, nor his last thought before sleep. It was still there, but not nearly as all consuming.

So when Cloud did return, Sephiroth's reaction probably wasn't as shocking as it could have been.

The blond was standing in the doorway looking tired and worn. His sword hung loosely on his harness and seemed to be weighing him down, but he didn't look injured. Sephiroth and Tifa were behind the bar. Both stared at him for a moment before Tifa turned to Sephiroth, a comforting hand on his arm.

Sephiroth was torn. He wasn't sure how he was expected to react, but after Tifa's touch, he realised that he didn't have to worry about that. He didn't have to act in a certain way because he thought it was _expected_. In fact, Tifa would want him to react _without_ thinking like that. She would want him to be true to himself.

So he did.

Calmly placing the dish towel on the counter, he stepped around the bar and approached the man who had once been his entire life. He looked him up and down, taking in his ragged appearance and giving him a visual check for injuries before speaking.

“You're alive then.” His tone was flat, blank like his expression. He didn't reach out to Cloud, didn't touch him, simply stood in front of him waiting for an answer.

“Yeah.” Hearing Cloud's voice sent Sephiroth's emotions into a swirling and confusing mess, but he didn't let it show. He couldn't. Not now.

“Are you injured?” He asked, somehow managing to keep his emotions completely in check. He didn't let a single one slip.

Cloud shook his head.

“Good.” Sephiroth then followed his instincts, acting without thinking. He let his mind go and his body move. Stepping aside, he strode past Cloud and out the door. In moments, he was astride Fenrir and away.

He didn't know where he was going to go, all he knew was that he couldn't stay there. Couldn't see Cloud, the source of all his suffering in this world, in the place that he had come to think of as his home. He couldn't be in the place that gave him such comfort while faced with the one thing that had hurt him beyond all else. He just couldn't.

It wasn't a surprise when he found himself at the church. After all, it had been the place he often went to when he was feeling emotionally unstable. Maybe it was because it would always remind him of Aerith. Maybe it was because of the flowers, or the small pond. But something in this place calmed him, gave him a sense of serenity even when his heart was breaking.

He had been sitting by the flowers less than fifteen minutes when the doors opened. He recognised the sound of Cloud's boots on the wood, the way the man walked made a sound that was distinctive enough for Sephiroth to recognise.

He didn't speak. Didn't turn around. Instead, Sephiroth simply kept his eyes on the flowers in front of him as he tended to them like Marlene had taught him to. He didn't react for a long time, even when Cloud joined him at the edge of the garden.

“I had to go.” Cloud's quiet words filled the empty space of the church and felt like a punch in the gut for Sephiroth. The first thing that Cloud said to him after returning was a justification. Not an apology, not even a platitude. A justification for leaving him.

Sephiroth didn't say anything, knowing that if he did, he would be unable to stop. He wanted to give Cloud a chance to speak first. To maybe salvage a piece of Sephiroth's trust.

It took a few more minutes, but Cloud did speak again. “The Planet needed me.” Those words were even worse. Sephiroth grit his teeth, clenching down hard. His hands formed fists in his frustration, his anger and he took a moment to consciously relax them. He had no intention on physically hurting Cloud. Even with how he was feeling now, that was one thing he could never do.

“ _I_ needed you.” His words were a quiet rumbling. He was somehow still holding on to the anger, still keeping it inside.

“I knew you'd be okay without me.” Cloud told him, reaching out to touch his arm. Sephiroth found himself flinching away.

In a flash, he was on his feet, fists shaking at his side as he stared down at his once lover. “So you thought it would be okay to _abandon_ me?” He snarled, anger building but still held in check. “Of all the people in my life I thought that _you_ – that _you_ would be the last to do so!” Mostly in check. Cloud stood, facing Sephiroth but keeping his posture relaxed, unthreatening.

Not that it mattered. Sephiroth was far too angry to see Cloud as a threat to his physical well being. It wouldn't make a difference if he was. He had already cut Sephiroth deeper than any blade ever could.

“You were the _one_ person in my life that I _trusted_ to never abandon me!” Finally, he was unable to hold his anger back any more. Finally, it was all allowed out. “And yet you did! So very easily and without a second thought!”

“My mission was dangerous I-” Cloud tried to interject, but Sephiroth had no interest in listening to him, not yet. He'd gone through all of Cloud's reasons in the last year, gone through every possible justification that the blond could give him and agreed with none of them.

“You _left_ me _behind_! I'm not some damsel that needs protecting, I'm not _helpless_!” He was shouting now. That was new. It was very rare that Sephiroth raised his voice, and unheard of outside of battle. Sephiroth didn't think he'd ever been this angry before.

“You could have died!” Cloud tried to counter again, standing up to his full (limited) height, his shoulders back. He was on the defensive and somehow that just made Sephiroth _angrier_.

“So!? I would have come back! At least I would have been by your side! Instead _you_ chose that I remain behind. _You_ decided that it was a risk that I couldn't take. _You left me behind!_ Did you even think to give me that choice?” He was moving forward now, his finger jabbing at Cloud's chest, not caring if his enhanced strength bruised the skin beneath the shirt. “No.” He answered his own question before giving Cloud the chance, “No, you chose that _for_ me. Discarded me the moment I was inconvenient, just like all the others! I wasn't even worthy of a _phone call_.”

Somehow, he regained control of his limbs and stepped back, dropping his hand. Needing to keep himself from physically lashing out, he buried his hands in his pockets, turning away from Cloud. He needed a moment. A moment to think, to get his emotions back under control so that he could speak without saying things he might regret. All the hurt, the pain, the _betrayal_ he'd felt over the last twelve months was coming back, hitting him all at once and begging to be allowed out, pushing against his heart and his mind for their release.

But he couldn't. He had to remain in control of himself. He wouldn't let himself become the man this world feared. Wouldn't give in to the anger in the way that _he_ had.

“You were never inconvenient.” Cloud's voice had lost its volume, and Sephiroth wondered if the regret he could hear was simple wishful thinking on his part. “I just didn't want you to get hurt.”

Sephiroth snorted at that. The sound he usually reserved for amusement now being twisted into something darker. Something almost bitter sweet. “Well you failed.” He told Cloud.

They were silent for a moment and Sephiroth forced his fists to relax in his pocket. His fingers brushed something and the pain hit him all over again. Curling his hand around the item, he took a breath, trying to keep himself calm, to find the serenity that this place usually offered.

“Seph...”

He wasn't sure if it was the nickname that he had once hated, or if it was the gentle touch on his arm, but the emotions he had been trying so hard to contain came flying out again. This time, he didn't shout, his voice was deadly quiet and serious. “Don't.” He ordered, stepping away from Cloud and turning his back.

How could the man not understand? He _knew_ how Sephiroth had grown up. He _knew_ about the horrors and neglect of his childhood. He was probably the only person outside the original Firsts who had any idea what he had been through, and even they had abandoned him at one point. “I don't want to be around you right now.” He said to the wall opposite him, knowing that Cloud would hear him.

“Sephiroth-”

Anger. Hot and red flashed through him and he lashed out, hands coming out of his pocket as he turned, the small item in his hand becoming a convenient projectile as he threw it. “Leave me alone!” He ordered, unable to hold himself back.

The small box was caught with a grimace of pain. No matter how enhanced you were, having something thrown at you with Sephiroth's full strength would hurt. He felt a small sense of satisfaction in that, followed by guilt. He didn't want to hurt Cloud, that would achieve nothing, he simply didn't know what to do, how to handle the emotions that were tearing him apart.

Maybe he just had to let go.

“Sephiroth...” Cloud tried again, still clutching the box in the hand that had caught it. He didn't even seem to know what it was, and it wasn't until Sephiroth looked down at it that he remembered what he'd been carrying in his pocket for so long.

The small box had served as a reminder of what Cloud had meant to him, of how he had felt about him. For him to be able to throw it away like that, without a second thought...

Maybe he just had to let go.

“I can't forgive you for this.” He told Cloud, anger suddenly gone, replaced with a profound sadness and an ache of an empty heart. Even as socially inept as he was, he finally understood what it meant.

“Then where does that leave us?” The blond asked, slowly as if afraid of the answer. The hand that was clutching the small box was shaking, but Cloud hadn't taken his eyes off Sephiroth.

“Separated.” That one word broke him and from the look on Cloud's face, it broke them both. But Sephiroth couldn't take them back. Wouldn't. He knew that this was what he needed for now, and he'd made his decision. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Cloud staring down at the small ring box in his hand.

– – – – – – – – 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally, I don't like to leave a story on a cliffhanger until I've written the next part, but this time, I had to get it out there. I've already started writing the next chapter, but I don't know how long it will take for me to navigate the minefield of emotions that it will contain.


	16. Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth realises that he's not alone.

Nothing from the trip home was remembered, not the dust of the streets, the sounds of the children playing, nothing. For the first time in a very long time, Sephiroth wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, his mind almost blank with the shock of what he had just done.

Perhaps the only thing keeping him going was the fact that he was beginning to feel numb to his emotions. A cautious voice in the back of his mind tried to warn him about the dangers of shock – emotional shock could be just as deadly as physical – but he was too lost to even hear it. All he could do was follow his instinct to return to a safe place and allow himself to move on autopilot.

He didn't even realise where he was going until he stepped into the bar. It wasn't until the door closed behind him that he returned to himself, his mind focusing on his location so suddenly that he felt jarred to his very centre. But he was safe now, he was somewhere where he had always been welcomed with open arms and love.

Any other time, the look on Tifa's face would have probably worried him. She seemed shocked, possibly. Definitely worried, concern evident in her ever expressive features, and in moments she was by his side, leading him to the bench seat in the corner of the bar. He sat there, vaguely aware of her taking fast steps towards the door and flipping the sign to closed. After a moments hesitation, she locked the door – something that she rarely did outside of night time.

Did he really look that bad? It was hard to imagine that there would be much in the way of emotion displayed on his face – he was hardily feeling any after all – so why would she close the bar to their friends for him?

He didn't ask. He was afraid that his voice wouldn't work, that it would be just as absent as the rest of him. Instead, he just watched her once again cross the room, this time to retrieve something from behind the bar and bring it to him.

Before he knew it, there was a warm drink (hot cocoa?) in his hands and a very concerned Tifa sitting beside him, her hand gently resting on his arm. She spoke to him, and it took his brain a moment to realise, and a few moments more to process her words.

“What happened?”

What _had_ happened? His mind shied away from thinking about it, the pain too new, too raw, but he closed his eyes and forced himself to. To think about what had happened in the church. He tried to separate the facts from the feelings, to push away the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him with the slightest provocation.

The last thing he wanted was to push himself over the edge, to lose the frail grip he currently had on his sanity. It felt like it was slipping, edging away from him with every moment, with every thought. With effort, he closed his eyes and took a breath, tightening his grasp on his thoughts, reeling his emotions inwards.

He could deal with those later. Right now, Tifa had asked him a question and was looking at him with worry, waiting for an answer.

“I let go.” He told her, glad to find that his voice was working. It was a whisper, barely audible, but it was there.

She did hear him, and her concerned frown turned into a slightly confused on. He didn't know how else to explain what he had done, not without using the words he so dreaded to. But she deserved to know, to understand what had happened. Cloud was her friend too, and there was no doubt that he would need her.

“I... think I ended our relationship.” He had to admit, he wasn't quite sure. His intentions had been clear, but his wording had been somewhat ambiguous. The word 'separated' didn't quite imply a complete end, but rather a transitory state of being.

Was that what he wanted? For their separation to be transitory? Something that could be recovered from? Or did he want it to be over with no hope of revival? On one hand, he still very much loved Cloud. The man had always been very dear to him, very important and irreplaceable. The connection that he felt to him was almost undefinable in its intensity. But... But on the other hand, he had abandoned Sephiroth, betrayed him in the one way that would hurt more than any other, played on his greatest fears.

He could forgive the other times that Cloud had been absent from his life. He could hardily help being in a catatonic state, and his death was indirectly caused by Sephiroth himself. No. Cloud wasn't to blame for his previous disappearances. This time however...

This time, Cloud had made a concious choice. He had made the choice to leave Sephiroth behind, to pursue his latest mission with the help of a stranger instead of those that loved him, that would follow him to the end of the world. Not only had he made the choice, but he had stuck with it. For twelve months, without so much as a text message.

It wasn't just that he had left, it was that he'd stayed gone.

“You think?” Tifa brought him back to the here and now, her fingers gently squeezing his arm. He looked down at them, wondering just when he had become so comfortable with such a personal display of affection. Hadn't he once hated being touched? By anyone?

He still remembered the first time that he had received a hug. Genesis had wrapped his arms around him in excitement after realising that there was another person that could challenge him in battle. It had been after their first sparring match and Sephiroth had had no idea how to respond.

“Seph?” Again, Tifa brought him back. His mind was wandering far too much and he made a concious decision to keep himself grounded. He wrapped his hand tighter around his steaming mug and focused on the heat seeping into his hand.

“I... Told him we had separated.” His voice was still quiet, still weak and he coughed, clearing his throat. The look Tifa was giving him, the one of pity and pain was difficult to look at, so instead he kept his gaze trained on the brown liquid in his cup. “I threw the ring I bought at him... I think my intention was clear?”

Tifa recognised the question for what it was. Sephiroth still wasn't the best at social interactions, still didn't always understand the nuances of conversation that most people seemed to instinctively get.

She gave him a small nod and slipped her arm around his shoulders, tugging on them gently to bring him closer. He was leaning on her, quite literally, but she was still somehow still giving him room. He wasn't being forced to look at her, or to reach out and touch her himself. Instead, she allowed him to sit there, unsure of what to do with his own arms, but not feeling compelled to find out. Somehow, she knew what he needed.

Neither of them spoke for a long time, but eventually, Sephiroth had to address something that had been playing on the back of his mind, his subconscious hiding it from him due to the anxiety that the idea brought.

“I can be packed in a few hours...” He said quietly, still unable to look at the woman holding him. It should have surprised him just how much she had come to mean to him, but for some reason it didn't. His past hadn't really allowed for him to have very many connections, least of all with women. They simply hadn't been in his life for long enough – not until he had met Cloud. Through Cloud he became close to Zack. Because of Cloud, he had travelled with Aerith. Tifa was Cloud's long time friend.

Almost everything good in his life could be attributed to Cloud. The only exception was probably Genesis who was quickly returning to Sephiroth's growing list of important people.

After all of this, he may be the only one left.

“What are you talking about?” Tifa pulled back and finally forced him to look at her. Her expression of concern and irritation confused him. Why would she be irritated at him? Was it because he'd left Cloud? But Cloud had left him first. Left _them_ first.

“This is Cloud's home. I very much doubt that he would want me around now...” He told her, voicing his worry.

Her expression gave way to a small smile. It was sad, perhaps, laced with a small amount of pity as she shook his head. “No. You don't have to leave.” She reassured him. “This is your home, just as much as it is his. _He's_ the one that left. If he wants to come back, then we'll figure something out. Maybe I'll have to clean out another store room out, or I can throw him on a futon in the office. But we'll figure out something that'll work without you having to leave.”

He blinked at her, his mind working exceedingly slowly, taking the information in almost one word at a time. She didn't want him to leave? She was choosing him over Cloud? Sure, she said that she would find somewhere for him to stay, somewhere for him to sleep if he wanted to come back, but she had no intention of asking Sephiroth to leave the room he had claimed. The room that had originally been Cloud's.

“You...” How could he sum up the things he was feeling? How could he tell her how much he appreciated her? How grateful he was? How much affection he held for her? How could he tell her how much he cherished her? “You don't want me to leave?”

Another shake of her head was accompanied by another sad smile. “No, Seph.” She said, “You're family now. You're stuck with us. Forever.”

Forever?

Unknown emotions built up inside him. Things that he didn't recognise, feelings that he didn't seem to know.

Family forever? _Nobody_ had stayed with him forever. Cloud had been the one he had thought would, and he'd left. Everybody left him. The few scientists that had appeared to care for him had been sent away hastily, and it had been years before Sephiroth realised that that had been Hojo's doing. The man hadn't wanted to “taint the results” by allowing Sephiroth attachments. He had been designed to be a warrior, after all. The perfect warrior. The warrior that would follow any order, that would march into danger without worrying about anybody back home. Without any attachments.

Which was why the scientists had never been allowed to stick around. Especially those that had cared.

But even after that, when he'd left the labs, the people in his life had been transient. Even Genesis and Angeal, once his closest friends, had left him. Sure, they'd had their own reasons, but they hadn't invited Sephiroth to go with them.

Hearing that Tifa wanted him to stay, hearing her all but promise life long companionship, it filled him with emotion. It was almost too much for him, and he felt an anxiety build within him. If he believed her, if he truly thought that his new friends, his new _family_ would always be there for him... it would hurt all the more when they eventually did leave. As much as he desperately wanted to believe her, there was a part of him that held back from it for fear of the pain that would probably one day come.

She was watching him. Again he wondered how much he was expressing? She always seemed to be aware of what he was feeling, almost like she could read his mind. It should have been disconcerting, but instead it was somehow comforting. And she wanted to be around him forever.

How did he tell her what those words meant to him? Once again, he cursed his stunted emotional growth. He had no idea how to respond to her, how to make her understand just what he was feeling.

Perhaps if words weren't enough, he could let his actions speak for him. He carefully put his untouched drink down on the bench behind him and turned to her, gathering her in his arms, his head still on her shoulder.

“Thank you.” It wasn't just for her promise of a future, or for the way she was making him feel. It wasn't just because of her acceptance of him for who he was. It was for everything he couldn't put into words. They didn't seem adequate, but they were all he had.

They were quiet for a moment, and Sephiroth wondered how long he was supposed to keep hugging her. He had no idea how long was appropriate, and was somewhat grateful when she pulled away and smiled at him.

“Now.” She said, her tone telling him that the subject was changing. “We really should talk about what happened with Cloud...” She seemed regretful for bringing it up, and it didn't take long for Sephiroth to realise why.

Their conversation and her insistence that he was family and always welcome had changed the course of his emotions. Instead of feeling lost, alone and upset, he had felt hopeful and _cherished_. But with the return of topic to Cloud, he felt a resurgence of the negative emotions that had been building up within him for months.

He found himself looking away, a little uncomfortable. But she wanted to talk about Cloud, about his relationship with her close friend. He couldn't begrudge her that. It affected her too.

“I know it's hard.” She continued, and Sephiroth gave a small nod. Hard was an understatement. “But I've never seen him so happy with anyone before. And it seemed like it was the same for you.”

He nodded again. How did she always seem to know? Aerith was the same. Was it a female thing? Did all women have an extra sense that told them the emotions of the people around them?

“I...” He didn't know what he wanted to say, what she wanted to hear. This was completely new territory for him. “I thought he would be the last person to abandon me.”

“I know.” She said, and the way she said it made Sephiroth believe her completely. She really did know. “And he hurt you. More than anybody else ever has, I'll bet.” Another nod from him and she kept going. “Which is why you reacted as strongly as you did. These thoughts and feelings, they've been building for months. And I'm not saying he should be forgiven. No way in hell. But I think you need to talk to him. Give yourself some time, but don't write him off.”

He gave her a confused look, not quite sure what she meant by that. She gave him the time to think though, and he pondered on her words.

“You want me to hear his side?” He hazarded a guess, and was relieved when she nodded slowly, urging him to continue. “You hope that we can retain a relationship.”

“I think that's what you want.” She gave him a small smile. “But it's going to take a long time for him to earn your trust again. Just... remember why you loved him.”

Loved? Past tense? Her choice of words caused him to stop for a moment and think. After a few seconds, he shook his head, a small, sad smile finding its way on to his own face. “I still do.” He confessed. “But how can I have a partner that would leave me so easily?”

“I don't think it was easy for him.” Tifa told him quietly, “He's never been good at answering his phone, but he always made sure to message us. Maybe not as often as we would've liked. But he made an effort.” Her words were making his heart sink again, but he let her continue. “But in the last year, we haven't heard anything from him. I think... Maybe it was too hard for him. No contact made things easier, keeping on mission and believing that he could come back after it was all over. I don't think he even realised just how much he was hurting you...”

Sephiroth had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. He hadn't thought about how Cloud had felt over the last year. He'd been too consumed with his own emotions and he briefly felt a little guilty. Before the emotion could take hold, he pushed it away. If Cloud had hurt, it was his own doing, his own fault, and Sephiroth would not hold himself responsible for that.

He was saved from having to formulate a reply by a knock on the door. Tifa paused for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. She gently squeezed Sephiroth's arm again before standing and moving to the door. She opened it a crack to see who it was before opening it wide enough for Zack to make his way inside.

“Sorry, I can come back later if you want me to...” He said, looking between Sephiroth and Tifa with a small frown. Obviously he knew that something was wrong and didn't want to intrude, but Sephiroth realised that he didn't know what had happened.

“No.” He said quietly, gesturing for Zack to come inside. “It's alright.” He picked up his abandoned cup and stood. “I need some time to think.” He told his friends, dumping the cooled drink into the sink and rinsing his cup. He didn't say anything else before heading up the stairs and hiding himself in his room.

– – – – – – – – –

Sephiroth managed to avoid everyone for the rest of the day. It seemed that Tifa had managed to keep any visitors away to give him time to think on what she had said. And think on it he did. He thought her words over, not just the ones about him having a family, but also the ones on how he should think about Cloud, about what he wanted.

Did he believe he could trust Cloud again? This was the first time that Cloud had ever made him feel like this. The first time he felt betrayed and alone. In fact, except for when Cloud was dead or in the coma, he had never been lonely. Not since meeting Cloud. The man had given him what he'd always wanted. Somebody who was there for him, whatever he needed. Someone who wanted to be around him, not for his fame or fighting prowess, but for who he _was_. Maybe that was why it hurt so much.

It was dusk before he was interrupted, a knock on his door signalling that his self imposed isolation was over.

He didn't want to see anyone. He wanted to be left alone to wallow and to think, but he knew that it wouldn't be a feasible course of action long term. It would probably lead to his downfall, to him becoming the man that he feared himself to be. So instead of giving in to his desire to be alone, he stood and opened the door to reveal Zack. His long time friend gave him a sad smile and gently pushed him into the room so that he could follow behind him.

“Hey.” His tone betrayed both his sorrow and his worry and Sephiroth had to look away. He didn't need anybody's pity, least of all Zack's. Tifa's words had stopped him from feeling so lost and had alleviated some of the fear he'd had about being alone. Seeing Zack look at him like that... it brought back all the broken feelings he thought he'd managed to get past.

Silently, he returned to his previous position, curled up on his bed and facing the wall. It didn't take long for Zack to join him, sitting on the edge of the small bed quietly. A hesitant hand found its way to Sephiroth's hair, slowly stroking through it. Sephiroth would never admit it, but the action was soothing, comforting even.

“So.. Cloud's a mess.” Zack said, and Sephiroth curled tighter around himself. He didn't want to talk about Cloud. It hurt far too much and took away any emotional progress he thought he'd made. Zack didn't seem to notice his hesitance at the subject, and continued speaking slowly and quietly. “Said you broke up with him.”

Sephiroth gave a small nod, the only indication that he was listening. He'd already been through this once today, did he really need to go through it again? A part of him wanted to tell Zack to go away, to tell him to talk to Tifa instead. She knew what had happened.

But then, Tifa had helped him. Maybe Zack could also shed some light on his emotions. Isn't that what friends were supposed to do? Help each other navigate messy thoughts and feelings?

“Said you threw a ring at him...” There was definitely pity in Zack's voice, and if it wasn't for the fact that the fingers running through his hair were grounding him in reality, Sephiroth might really have kicked Zack out of his room. Not that the man would've listened to him. He always had been a little headstrong.

“I carried it for the whole year.” He found himself whispering, words leaving his mouth without permission. “I was going to give it to him the night he left.”

He heard Zack give a hissed wince and the fingers disappeared. Had he said something wrong? He was missing the gesture already. Curling tighter in on himself, Sephiroth berated his words, not having meant to push Zack away.

But to his astonishment, Sephiroth felt himself being pushed over on the bed as Zack joined him, curling his arms around him and holding him tight. “I'm sorry, Seph.” He said quietly.

It was strange, being held in bed by somebody other than Cloud. Sephiroth had never had that experience before and it felt nice. Comforting. Even though there was no attraction between them, for the first time, Sephiroth realised that Zack did love him. In an entirely different way than Cloud, but it was no less real. He felt himself relax into the embrace. Tifa's words came back to him. He was family now, and when he thought about it, Zack had had that title for a long time now. How had he not realised it before?

“You're not going to tell me I was wrong?” He asked the quiet room and he felt Zack shake his head behind him.

“No. I mean... I kinda hope you guys can get past this and work things out but...” The arms around him squeezed tighter for a moment, “But we're on your side on this one.”

“We?” Sephiroth questioned, holding his hope at bay. He didn't want to be the reason that his friends left him. Even though Tifa had claimed that he was stuck with them, he didn't want to put that to the test. Didn't want them to have to choose between himself and Cloud. How could he?

“He screwed up.” Zack told him, “He was stupid and he didn't think and he hurt you. Genesis, Tifa, Denzel, Marlene... We all see that...” He could feel Zack shake his head again and the young man gave a small chuckle. “You should've heard the shouting at Tifa gave him. I think she's nearly as pissed as you.”

“I'm not angry anymore.” And it was true. He was no longer angry at Cloud, the rage that he had felt had dissipated into an entirely different type of pain. He was hurt, broken, and sometimes he felt empty. Even his conversation with Tifa hadn't completely got rid of those feelings. Especially not when he thought about Cloud.

“You will be.” Zack told him, his hand going back to running through Sephiroth's hair. “Breakups are hard, especially the first one. You'll go through a roller-coaster of emotions and there'll be times that think you can never heal from them... but you will.”

It occurred to Sephiroth that Zack was speaking from experience. Aerith hadn't been his first girlfriend after all. He knew that he could trust in what Zack was saying, but it didn't really help. How could it?

Not having Cloud there felt like somebody had ripped a part of him out. Like a limb was missing. The only time he'd ever felt worse was when Zeke had died.

He realised they'd been silent for a long time when Zack began to sing quietly. It sounded like a lullaby, soothing and soft. He closed his eyes and listened to his friend, letting the badly sung lyrics wash over him.

“ _Waves come in, just like the morning comes. Things come and go, but soon they'll disappear into the dusk. We all collide together and we fall apart. Then it all goes away_.”

It took him a moment to realise that he knew the song. It stirred a long forgotten memory within him of a young woman. A scientist. She rocked him to sleep, singing the lullaby. It had soothed him, calmed him down and let him rest peacefully. He remembered that he never slept as well as he had on the nights that she had sung to him.

“ _But there will come a day that a light will shine. From the darkness and sorrow that we knew_.” Zack trailed off for a moment, “Uh...” Apparently he didn't remember the next line.

But Sephiroth did. “ _There will be a light that reaches us inside_.” He found himself continuing the verse, his voice quiet, unused to singing. “T _o a new world full of love that sees us through. I know it, I feel it, you're heading straight home back to me now_.”

“ _I know it, I feel it, you're heading straight home back to me now._ ” Zack joined in with the last, repeated line.

“I didn't know you knew that song...” Zack told him, and Sephiroth could hear the smile in his voice. “It's a lullaby that Aerith sings to Lilly when she wont settle down.”

Sephiroth nodded, finding himself compelled to explain himself. “When I was very young there was a scientist. She used to sneak into my room when Hojo wasn't there and sing it to me. It used to be the only thing that would let me have a peaceful night.”

“Nothing beats the power of a good lullaby sung by someone you love.” Zack said quietly. He hesitated before asking, “What happened to her?”

“She left, when I was around five years old. She became pregnant and worried for her child. She was the last of the Cetra and knew the horrors that Hojo would inflict upon her child if he got his hands on her.” She was the only one of the scientists that Sephiroth could forgive for leaving him, the only person he could truly forgive for choosing to leave him.

“Wait...” Zack said slowly, “Aerith's the last of the Cetra...”

Sephiroth nodded, “Her mother was the scientist that cared for me. She was the only one to ever make me feel like a normal child.”

“Elmyra's not a scientist... Right.” Zack's realisation made Sephiroth chuckle, “She's not Cetra, either. She adopted Aerith, didn't she?”

Another nod from Sephiroth. He waited a moment before regretfully pulling out of Zack's embrace. He sat up and looked down at his friend, realising that the lullaby had worked somewhat. He felt more calm, more relaxed and his emotions were no longer spiralling out of control.

“I think... I need to speak to Cloud.” He said softly, finally coming to a decision.

He needed to talk to him. Thinking about Ifalna leaving made him wonder. If he could understand her reasons and forgive her, then maybe he could understand Cloud's. He didn't know if he could forgive him, and he was all but certain that he couldn't trust him with his heart again, but he could at least try.

Zack joined him in a seated position and nodded, a smile growing on his face. “Yeah.” He sounded almost proud of Sephiroth, and he had to wonder if maybe he'd been manipulated into his thinking. Or perhaps... guided?

“I think that's a good idea... but are you sure you're ready? I mean, you're still pretty upset...”

Sephiroth frowned at Zack. Wasn't he the one that wanted he and Cloud to 'get back together'? Why was he suggesting that Sephiroth back down now? He was just confusing Sephiroth.

It was probably written all over his face because Zack gave a small chuckle and shook his head. “He's still at the church. I think he's intending on staying there for a bit... You want me to come with?”

Zack was offering to back him up? But wasn't Cloud his best friend?

Sephiroth shook his head. He didn't want to put Zack in the position of having to take a side. “No.” He said, gratitude for the offer sneaking its way into his voice, “I think it has to be just him and me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was very difficult for me. I had a picture in my head of Tifa comforting Seph in the bar, but I couldn't seem to put it into words. I hope I managed it well. 
> 
> The lullaby is 'A Return Indeed' (also known as Lirum's Lullaby) from Lost Odyssey (An amazing game that you should totally look into if you haven't already played it. The majority of people who worked on it were a part of the FFVII team. Turn based JRPG for the Xbox 360/One)


	17. Emotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth confronts Cloud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than any other (around half the average length) sorry.

Seeing Cloud again after so long was somewhat surreal. Framed by the backdrop of the church, flowers at his feet and monument before him, the man looked almost delicate, almost innocent. For a moment, Sephiroth almost forgot his anger.

They said nothing. There was no way that Cloud wasn't aware of his presence – Sephiroth hadn't done anything to hide his approach – he was just choosing to stay silent. Sephiroth joined him at the flowers, keeping his emotions in check and allowing the silence to fold around them like a blanket, hiding them from the rest of the world.

After a long moment, Cloud raised his head, eyes seeking out the sword in the stone and he spoke.

“I'm leaving again.” His words were quiet, a whisper that would have been lost on the slightest of winds.

But Sephiroth heard them. Those words that drilled a hole in his heart, that pulled him apart from the inside out, that threatened to draw him back into his despair and loneliness. No. He wouldn't let them. He wouldn't let himself feel like that again. Not without an explanation. Not without cause.

In a sudden flash, the anger came back, heat curling in his stomach, pushing its way out. Controlling it wasn't an easy feat, and he ended up balling his fists tightly, his fingernails digging into his palm, just so that he wouldn't hit the blond beside him.

“Then why bother coming back at all?” Somehow, miraculously, he managed to stop himself from shouting, from screaming at the man who had caused him so much hurt.

There was silence again, and Sephiroth became vaguely aware that he was shaking. Suppressing his pain, his anger, it was causing physical manifestations. He took a deep breath, and another, keeping himself as calm as he could.

A physical fight right now wouldn't do either of them any good.

“To say goodbye.” Cloud answered evenly. “It'll be... a long time before I can come back... If I can at all.”

A new wave of emotion crashed into Sephiroth, almost making him physically stumble. Cloud's words took a moment to sink and when they did, he couldn't control himself any longer. His hands shot out, grabbing Cloud by the shoulder, forcing him to turn to face his wrath.

“What the hell is wrong with you!?” His voice was raised now, his control was slipping away. It was all he could do not to hurt Cloud, not to hit him, or restrain him or _something_. The surprised, and somewhat confused look that Cloud was giving him didn't help things, and he found himself shaking the warrior.

“You can't just do that! Leave us without a thought, disappear without a trace and come back only to say goodbye!? What are you _thinking_! Do you really think we'll let you go again!? Let you just disappear?”

He forced himself to stop, to take a break, breathe. His head fell forward, bowing as if weighed down with the confusing emotions flicking through him. The hands on Cloud's shoulders loosened slightly, no longer gripping him so hard.

“You can't just leave again.” Sephiroth's words were quieter now. Cloud moved and Sephiroth felt his hand on his face, warm against his cool, wet skin. It was then that he became aware of the tears that had escaped him. Tears of pain, tears of fear, of anger. There were too many emotions swirling within him for Sephiroth to know for sure.

This wasn't what he had planned when he made his way to the church. He had thought he would be shouting, that he would scream at Cloud, let his emotions out, hear what Cloud had to say for himself. He wanted to show his anger, his hurt. Not... not like this.

The hole in his chest was expanding, slowly consuming him. His anger was left behind, swallowed whole and replaced by nothing but hopelessness. Cloud was going to leave. He wasn't back. Not really. He was just going to drop by and then never be seen again.

The tears were coming faster now, falling from his eyes and hitting the wooden floor at his feet, staining it with the physical proof of his sorrow. Warmth shifted, the hand on his face moving under his chin, lifting his head and forcing his eyes to look at Cloud.

His eyes were almost entirely golden now, just a small sliver of blue and green remained, close to his pupils. They were narrowed in a soft, understanding frown. “I'm sorry.” He said, moving his hand again to cup Sephiroth's cheek. “But if I don't leave... Everyone will be in danger.”

Cloud was using that excuse again. A flicker of anger burned through the darkness surrounding him and pulled him momentarily from his pain. “Because we can't look after ourselves.” His tone had taken on a mocking quality, but Sephiroth didn't care enough to stop it, didn't hold back his words.

“Because we need you to leave to _protect_ us.” The anger was growing again, taking over him as he stood up tall, hands pushing Cloud away from him. “Because you're being so _noble_ and _self-sacrificing_ when literally _none of us asked you to_!”

“If I stay, you could all die!” Cloud's irritation answered Sephiroth's anger as he too stood to his own full height, glaring up at Sephiroth, his own body shaking with emotions. Sephiroth could see that Cloud felt himself completely justified. That his reasons were solid and it didn't matter what everybody else thought.

“So what!? That's _our_ choice to make!” And really, that was what it came down to, wasn't it? That was why Sephiroth was so upset, so angry and hurt. It wasn't just because Cloud had left, but because he'd left Sephiroth behind. He hadn't even given Sephiroth the _choice_ to join him. He had made that decision for him, making assumptions about what Sephiroth could and could not handle as far as danger went.

“I can't do that! I can't just stand around when me being here could get _everybody killed_!” Cloud countered, and Sephiroth really could see the man's point of view, could understand his logic. But that didn't make it right.

“Facing death would be preferable.” He told Cloud, slowly forcing his anger aside once again. He needed to keep a level head, he needed to be able to think about what he was saying, to make sure he didn't say the wrong thing and lose Cloud for good. The anger could wait.

Cloud was quiet again, staring at Sephiroth as if he didn't understand what the other had said, as if he couldn't comprehend how those words could be true.

“I'm a warrior, Cloud.” Sephiroth said slowly, taking a small degree of pity, “So are the others. Sitting around waiting for news that might never come... That's not something we do well. We belong on the front lines, fighting for what we believe in. Whatever enemy you're facing, we _want_ to be by your side. To fight along side you. Inactivity...” He took a breath, not sure how to explain this to Cloud properly, so that the man would understand him. “Inactivity is torture.”

Cloud was still blinking at him, still looking confused and lost, but a subtle change in his posture let Sephiroth know that he was getting through to him, that his words were making an impact.

“Even now?” He asked quietly, “You still want to fight beside me? After all this time...?”

Sephiroth didn't have to think. He didn't have to push away the hurt or the anger to know his answer, he didn't have to get past his emotions to know the one thing that would never change. “Always.”

They lapsed into silence again, each one of them taking some time to gather themselves, to calm down. When Cloud sat down in front of the flowers, Sephiroth finally started to believe that Cloud might stay. At least for a little while.

“Why didn't you ever call?” He asked, taking a seat beside Cloud. Now that he'd let some of them out, his emotions didn't seem to be quite so turbulent. His head was no longer spinning and his heart seemed to have returned to its natural pattern. He was glad for that. Now wasn't the time for anger, now was the time for answers.

“I couldn't.” Cloud answered after a moment, quietly leaning forward to run his hands through the flowers in front of him. “If I did....” He cut himself off and shook his head, “I had to keep the mission as my priority.”

That didn't make a whole lot of sense to Sephiroth, but he thought back on Tifa's words. She had tried to explain to him that it might have been easier for Cloud to keep on mission if he _didn't_ call. She had made it sound like it was a matter of willpower, that if Cloud had called them, or answered their messages, he wouldn't have been able to stay away. Cloud's words seemed to confirm that.

“Why now?” Sephiroth had a lot of questions and was having difficulty trying to figure out where he should start.

Cloud seemed to consider his answer for a moment, body moving on autopilot to tend to the blossoms blooming in the church. “I... died.” Cloud answered finally, fingers stilling for a fraction of a second before he returned to work. Sephiroth found himself freezing, staring at his (ex?) partner, silently urging him to continue. Cloud had been dead. Not for the first time. And he'd come back. Again. That was what mattered, right? Cloud had come back. He was alive, and well.

“I lay in a mako pool for six months. I couldn't go back to the lifestream and I couldn't come back here... I was disembodied and all I had were my thoughts. All I could think about was you and the others...” Cloud's words were halting, almost hesitant. “I knew that I needed to come... home... but..” He shook his head, “Coming back, all that would do was have the enemy follow me. I knew I couldn't stay long but...”

Sephiroth waited for a moment, but Cloud didn't continue. Instead, he just fell into silence again, perhaps waiting for Sephiroth's next question. He decided to just ask them all and reflect on them later. If he didn't understand something, he'd simply ask Tifa or Zack. Both of them were very helpful when it came to that sort of thing.

“What next?” He asked.

“I guess... a family meeting...” Cloud answered slowly, still looking down at the flowers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having to slow down for a little while. Having managed to keep a more or less sustained pace until now, my wrists have finally decided to give up. I'm currently suffering from RSI in both wrists and the knuckles in my fingers, so I can only type for so long every few days. (Down from about 110 wpm to less than 70 - makes things a little frustrating at times).
> 
> So the choice is- wait for a lot longer between chapters, or have shorter chapters. The longer chapters may take up to two weeks to be written, but the shorter ones should be able to be weekly. 
> 
> There isn't actually much more to go on this story. I have the basic plot points figured out, but with all the other stuff happening (i.e. character relationships etc), it will probably end up being somewhere between 5 and 10 more chapters (if my chapter length stays as it normally is, obviously there'll be more if we end up with shorter chapters). 
> 
> Did anybody notice the Harry Potter reference?


End file.
